Into the Darkness: Battlefront
by ForgeUpwards
Summary: Darkfur is finally a warrior, but all is not well. The prophecy still swirls around her, and her new feelings for Swiftwind confuse her. Meanwhile, Lightpaw has stumbled upon a forbidden love. Can SkyClan truly survive the prophecy? Redone & redloaded!
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**SkyClan**

**Leader** **Leafstar – **elderly brown-and-cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Deputy** **Sharpclaw – **dark ginger tom

**Medicine Cat**** Echosong – **old silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice, Lightpaw**

**Warriors** (toms, and she-cats without kits)

**Patchfoot – **black-and-white tom; senior warrior

**Clovertail – **light brown she-cat with white belly and legs; senior warrior

**Petalnose – **pale grey she-cat; senior warrior

**Apprentice, Badgerpaw**

**Sparrowpelt – **dark brown tabby tom

**Bouncefoot – **ginger tom

** Rockfang – **black tom

** Tinyfern – **small white she-cat

**Mintcloud – **gray tabby she-cat

** Swiftwind – **dark brown tabby tom

** Darkfur – **black she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentices** (kits more then six moons old, in training)

**Lightpaw – **incredibly pale grey she-cat, amber eyes

** Badgerpaw – **black-and-white tom

**Queens** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**Cherrytail – **tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Sharpclaw's kits Brownkit (tabby tom), Sunkit (ginger tom), and Dovekit (tortoiseshell she-cat)

**Blueshadow – **blue-grey she-cat, expecting Sagefrost's kits

**Elders** (former warriors and queens, now retired)

**Sagefrost** – pale grey tom, retired early due to crushed hind legs

**EarthClan**

**Leader** **Sandstar – **sandy-colored tom with blue eyes

**Deputy** **Yellowfur – **beautiful ginger she-cat

**Medicine Cat** **Waterfern – **elderly black she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentice, Stripedpaw**

**Warriors** (toms, and she-cats without kits)

**Wolfclaw – **gray tom with green eyes

**Gingerpelt – **splotched ginger-and-black she-cat

**Greenear –**silver she-cat with green eyes

** Apprentice, Ravenpaw**

** Nettlestorm – **brown-and-white tom

**Ravencall** – pure black tom

** Jadetail – **sassy gray tabby she-cat, incredibly blue eyes

**Apprentices** (kits more then six moons old, in training)

** Stripedpaw – **gray tabby tom with brown stripes

**Queens** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**Birdwing – **light brown she-cat, mother of Sandstar's kits, Liverkit (deep ginger tom), Dirtkit (muddy brown tom), and Fishkit (silver she-cat)

**Elders** (former warriors and queens, now retired)

**Volefoot – **brown tabby tom; former deputy

**Cats Outside Clans**

**Hutch** – dark brown tabby tom, gray with age, formerly of SkyClan

**Oscar – **Annoying black tom, kittypet, SkyClan blood

**Sandy** – pale ginger she-cat; Badgerpaw's and Swiftwind's sister

**Prologue **

The black she-cat padded through the woods, her ears pricked. Her Clan had just come to live in this gorge after being driven out by the four other Clans. She would not forgive them. She could not forgive them. Her brother had died on the journey. The four Clans had to pay.

But her leader didn't see it like that; he wanted peace, and so had led her Clan away, taking them on a hazardous journey, which many of their cats had not made safely. She knew her leader would never take revenge on the four Clans; but she was not so weak. She would kill her leader, take control of her Clan, drive their strongest warriors back to the forest, and make the other Clans submit. But she wouldn't do it alone; oh no, she would have help.

The black she-cat stalked into the clearing and dipped her head to the cat there. He nodded to her and raised his tail. Cats began stalking out of the bushes; the black she-cat purred. Mean, skinny, and desperate; these cats were exactly what she needed to take control of her Clan, and then make the forest cats _pay_ for murdering her brother. The cats kept coming until the whole clearing was thronged with them. They stank of crow-food, but their eyes held respect for the dark she-cat that had brought them all together.

"Welcome," she meowed. "I assume your leader has told you why I am here." The cats growled assent. "Then will you help me?" the she-cat asked, her gaze sweeping across the clearing. "Once the forest cats are dead and gone, we will divide the territory between the two of us. You will no longer be hungry, and my Clan may return home."

A skinny brown tom stood. "We already said we would help. We go where Claw does, and he seems intent on following you."

The cat who had first signaled the cats nodded, his eyes cold. The black Clan cat looked at him in admiration. Here was a cat that knew how to gain others respect! She purred, her eyes narrowing coyly. The scarred Claw seemed pleased with himself, and he purred back at her.

"Well, let's go then." The black she-cat stood and signaled with her tail. The cats moved into the forest as a single unit, scaring up mice and voles with their churning paws.

"What's going on?" The sharp voice made the black she-cat look up. She narrowed her eyes when she spotted a black tom standing on the rise, his body rigid with shock. Her mentor, Nightfur.

She spat and charged up the hill to meet him. She hated this cat more then any other, even their leader, Cloudstar. He had convinced Cloudstar that it was best to head this way, best to try and not fight for their home. After the loss of his mate and kits, Cloudstar had obeyed without protest.

She leaped, sinking her fangs into Nightfur's throat. He convulsed once and collapsed. She purred with contentment and signaled for the rogues. They moved further on, the black she-cat leaving her mentor's body behind with no remorse.

They reached the top of the gorge and the black she-cat and Claw plunged down through the gorse and confronted her Clan. The rogues caught them off-guard, but they rallied quickly. The she-cat fought bitterly, but was quickly overwhelmed by their numbers. Her Clan was desperate, and the rogues were badly trained.

"You lied!" the black she-cat howled once when she spotted Claw nearby. He took a step back and fell into the waiting claws of one of her Clanmates. They tore him apart. The black she-cat flicked her tail contemptuously. Served him right, the big fool. He had told her his rogues were well-trained.

She found her leader quickly after that. She tried to kill him swiftly – he was tired, and emotionally drained – but his skills were intact. A sharp blow to the back of her head made the she-cat stumble. Another blow tore her stomach open.

The camp grew silent; the rogues had fled. The she-cat sneered in hatred even as her life blood welled onto the ground. She was dying, and she knew it. Her Clan gathered around her. A wail of grief went up from her mother. Cloudstar crouched over her and murmured, "I name you Darkheart. Take a warrior name to the dark forest." Flames washed over her eyes, and then nothingness. _Maybe I did wrong,_ was her last thought. _But I don't regret it. SkyClan are fools. I will live again someday._

**A/N: Here it is, finally! I had to finish editing it before I posted it, and if there are any mistakes, I apologize, I'm not perfect. Please read and review (seriously, review. Reviews are what keep me motivated, readers, so if you like it, review it. Even if it's only two words. Heck, tell me if you hate it!). This is, for anyone who doesn't know, the sequel to **_**EarthShaker,**_** which is book one. If you didn't read that, you won't understand this. 'K? ForgeUpwards, signing out!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on Swiftwind, keep up!" Darkfur whisked her tail and pounced on her friend as he approached. They rolled in the grass, still wet with frost and sat up, purring with amusement.

It was the day after their warrior ceremony. After the two newest SkyClan warriors had been released from vigil that morning, they had wasted no time in setting out to Twolegplace, to find Swiftwind's uncle, Hutch. The former SkyClan warrior said he did not have what it took to live in the gorge, but two of his sister's kits, Swiftwind and his brother, Badgerpaw, had come to live in the gorge and fulfill their destiny as SkyClan cats. Hutch had told Swiftwind to visit, and so the two warriors traveled side-by-side to find the old tom.

"Hutch will be pleased to see us," Swiftwind meowed happily. They continued onward, cresting hill after hill. Finally they came upon the rat's nest. It was absolutely ruined after the two earth-shakers they had had.

"I bet all of the rats were crushed," Swiftwind meowed as they passed. Darkfur wasn't so sure; the rats had proved their resilience in the past.

"Maybe," was all she said as they continued.

Swiftwind caught up with her, his eyes narrowing. "What's up with you? It's not like you to be so quiet, especially after being made a warrior. We've been looking forward to this for moons!"

Yes, Darkfur reflected sadly, that was true. Her moodiness had to do with the prophecy. When she was a young apprentice, her kin Rainfur had appeared in a dream from StarClan to warn her that only darkness could lead the Clan when earth met sky. Darkfur had no idea what it meant, but it seemed clear to her that it meant darkness – evil – would rule her beloved Clan. That she would not tolerate. She loved her Clan more then anything, and she would not see it fall to ruin.

But she said none of this to Swiftwind. The growing relationship between them had Darkfur on edge. She loved Swiftwind's company, and the thought of them becoming more then friends made her tingle with pleasure. But if they became more then friends and something went wrong, they would be trapped forever. Darkfur wasn't sure if she wanted that, when their friendship was so much easier to cope with.

So she said to Swiftwind, "Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired after last night is all, and here you have me trekking halfway across the territory!" She kept her tone cheerful and light; she didn't want Swiftwind plying any further.

He purred and dashed ahead, obviously more then willing to leave the conversation at that. Darkfur dashed after him, catching up just as he entered Twoleg territory.

"Keep your ears low," he warned, before squirming underneath a bush. Darkfur followed, her senses alert. She had only been to Twolegplace once before, and the loud noises, acrid smells, and putrid environment almost made her wish that she hadn't agreed to go see Hutch today.

They stopped beside a Thunderpath and waited while several monsters roared past. When the stinking path was silent, the two cats dashed across and squirmed their way through a broken fence. Then they leaped into Hutch's garden, balancing precariously on Hutch's garden fence.

Swiftwind let out a yowl. "Hutch?" he called. They waited a few moments, their fur fluffed out against the cold. Leafbare would be upon them soon, bringing sickness and hunger. It was a dangerous time for SkyClan, but all the more so this season because of the added threat of EarthClan, the rival Clan that had come to live nearby. SkyClan were trying to weather through the troubled time, praying to StarClan that EarthClan would move on soon, as they had said they would.

Darkfur's thoughts were interrupted by Hutch, racing into the garden and springing onto the fence, balancing easily. As she had been last time, Darkfur was incredibly impressed that such an old cat had such agility.

"Hutch!" Swiftwind greeted his uncle happily. Darkfur dipped her head in respect to the elder.

"Swiftpaw! How are you, my boy?" Hutch sounded pleased to see his nephew. Darkfur imagined that it got incredibly boring with few other cats to talk to around Twolegplace. Most stayed shut inside their Twoleg nests during leafbare.

"I'm _Swiftwind_ now," the tabby warrior meowed proudly. "Darkfur and I got our warrior names last night."

Hutch purred in delight, his eyes lighting up. "Congratulations! What about Badgerpaw? How's he doing?"

"Well enough," Swiftwind meowed. "He hasn't been in training long enough to be a warrior, but he'll be one soon. He fought in the battle the other day, and he was injured, or we would have brought him."

Hutch stiffened. "Not badly injured, I hope?" he inquired. Darkfur understood his concern. The way of the warrior was harsh; many cats did not survive to become elders.

"No," Swiftwind replied, evident relief in his voice. "He'll be back to training with Petalnose in a few days."

"I'm glad. Your mother isn't around today, but I'm sure she'll be pleased when I get to tell her."

"How's Sandy?" Swiftwind asked, naming his younger sister. Darkfur let her gaze wander as the two cats caught up. She noticed movement in the shadows of the bushes. She frowned and sharpened her gaze. Two rats were crouched there, bent over something she couldn't make out.

"Swiftwind," she hissed, prodding her friend to get his attention. Swiftwind broke off his conversation with his uncle and stared at the bushes.

"Rats!" he hissed. The two SkyClan warriors leapt down from Hutch's fence, paws outstretched to land perfectly balanced on the rock-hard ground. They sprinted towards the two rats and sprang, their snarls echoing throughout Twolegplace.

Darkfur clamped her jaws around the rat's throat and shook it hard. She felt it go limp in her jaws and she tossed it aside. Swiftwind scored his claws down the rat's side and stalked away. Darkfur called him back.

"Look," Darkfur rasped. Lying on its side, barely breathing, was a tiny she-kit. Swiftwind let out an anxious mewl and circled the heap of silver fur. Darkfur kneaded the ground anxiously. She had no idea what to do with a kit this small.

"We have to take it back to camp," Darkfur finally decided. Swiftwind looked uncertain; he didn't know how to act around the tiny kit.

"Uh, I'll go get Echosong," he meowed uncertainly, flinching away from Darkfur's glare. She had never thought of Swiftwind as incompetent around kits. He liked to play with Cherrytail's kits, after all.

"No, not Echosong!" Darkfur meowed. "She's too old to make it that far. Get Lightpaw, and tell Leafstar what's happened."

Swiftwind nodded and raced down the slope. Darkfur felt a prickle of worry. It had taken them all morning to make it to Twolegplace. But then, Swiftwind was the fastest cat in the Clan. _He'll make it,_ Darkfur soothed herself. It was then that she noticed Hutch standing at her side.

"Curl around it," he instructed her. Darkfur looked at him blankly. Suddenly she realized that he meant the kit. Darkfur wound her body awkwardly around the kit, letting it shelter in her belly fur. Hutch began licking it vigorously and rubbing his paws along it. He was murmuring soothingly to the kit, his eyes soft. Darkfur was surprised.

"Hutch, you never had kits, did you?" she asked as he continued to warm the little she-kit.

"Nope. Just never found the right she-cat to capture my heart. I became pretty close with Clovertail while I lived in the gorge, but I knew we could never be mates. My destiny lay here, in my Twoleg's nest, and Clovertail's lay in the gorge."

"That's sad," Darkfur meowed, her whiskers twitching. "You would have made a good father."

Hutch grunted, his eyes twinkling as he gazed down at the kit. "I've never felt cheated. I helped my sister raise her kits, and that was challenging enough." His eyes narrowed. "I saw how you looked at Swiftwind when he wasn't sure what to do for the kit."

Darkfur twitched her tail uncomfortably, her pelt growing hot despite the cold wind that had sprung up. "I was shocked, is all."

"Don't blame Swiftwind. Most toms aren't sure how to act around kits. Give him some time; he's still young, as are you."

Darkfur gasped, suddenly realizing what Hutch was getting at. "Oh no, he's not my mat – "

Darkfur was cut off by the gasping breaths of her sister, Lightpaw, as she pulled up beside Darkfur. "Let me see the kit," she snapped.

Darkfur dragged the kit out from where it had huddled deep in her belly fur. She was anxious about exposing the scrap to the cold, but she knew her sister would do everything she could to save the little thing.

Lightpaw murmured soothingly to the little kit, which meowed piteously. Darkfur felt her stomach clench. It was difficult to see such a small little kit, helplessly lying in the cutting wind.

"We have to get her back to camp," Lightpaw meowed, looking up from where she examined the she-kit. "She won't survive long in this weather, and I don't have burdock root with me to treat those rat bites."

Darkfur had hardly noticed, but her belly fur was wet with the kit's blood. "Come on then," she meowed, scooping up the kit in her teeth. She dipped her head to Hutch, standing nearby.

"I'm sorry – " she began, but Hutch cut her off.

"It's okay, young one. Get that kit back to camp quickly. It smells like snow," he commented. "Early in the season, no less."

"The kit won't survive a drenching!" Lightpaw hissed. "Come on!"

The two sisters raced down the slope, their pelts a stark contrast to one another; one so pale gray that it was almost white, the other a deep black. Darkfur raced on grimly, putting her head down as she tried to punch through the wind. She desperately wished Swiftwind were there. He was so fast; he could have gotten the kit home in no time. The kit squealed; Darkfur had accidently let it get too close to the ground.

"Careful!" Lightpaw gasped. Darkfur glanced at her sister. The medicine cat apprentice was brave, sprinting as fast as she could, but the wind was slicing through her coat, and her muscles were soft, due to the long hours she spent sorting herbs instead of running, like Darkfur. She wanted to slow down and let Lightpaw rest, but she knew her sister would say no, and they had to get the kit back to camp.

The run back to camp seemed to take longer then the wait had for Lightpaw to arrive. In the rational part of Darkfur's mind, she knew that it was due to the prevailing winds but, in her exhaustion, she imagined that something was dragging them back by their stretched-out tails, trying to prevent them from reaching camp.

Darkfur was just about to give in – her sister had fallen back long before and ran many foxlengths behind her, gasping for air – when she spotted the camp entrance. Darkfur plunged through to the gorge. The kit in her jaws was silent as the prickly gorge dragged at its fur. Darkfur was afraid that, despite their best efforts, the kit had died.

Echosong and Leafstar were waiting for them when they finally burst through to the clearing. Echosong snatched up the kit and Lightpaw followed her, staggering. Darkfur was too weary to even make sure her sister dried off. But as Leafstar led her away, Darkfur spotted their mother, Mintcloud, hurrying towards the medicine cats' den. She would be sure Lightpaw was okay.

Leafstar pushed Darkfur into the warrior's den, where her friends awaited her. Swiftwind lay in a nest of moss. An extra space beside him was meant for Darkfur. She curled up beside him, and her father came over, nosing her anxiously.

"Are you okay?" Rockfang asked.

"Fine," Darkfur rasped. "Just tired and cold."

"That was very brave of you, Darkfur," Clovertail meowed, coming to give her a soft lick on the head. "No kit deserves to die in this cold."

Darkfur nodded, relaxing. If the kit survived, then her desperate dash would have all been worth it. Swiftwind began grooming Darkfur as she slipped towards the darkness of sleep. She listened to his purring rumble and felt comforted. The other warriors settled for sleep as well. With plenty of fresh-kill in the snow-bound camp, the SkyClan cats were ready to wait out the storm.

**A/N: I know it's not a very long chapter and I'm sorry! I'll upload another **_**very**_** soon, IF I GET REVIEWS!!! Thank lovelies, and have an awesome, gorgeous almost-spring day (warm weather puts me in a good mood =D)**


	3. Chapter 3

Darkfur awoke the next morning, still groggy from the dash back to camp, but anxious to see how the little kit was. She stood, her muscles protesting, and jabbed Swiftwind with one paw.

"Huh? Wha? Darkfur go away, I wanna sleep," he mumbled. He tossed onto his side and Darkfur rolled her eyes.

She backed up a few steps and pounced, landing squarely on top of her friend. Swiftwind awoke with a startled yowl and dashed into the clearing, Darkfur on his heels. A crunch made her stop. The clearing was completely covered in white, powdery snow. "Oh," Darkfur breathed, sniffing the fresh air. When snow had come last time, she had been just a kit, and Mintcloud had kept her safely inside the nursery. Despite the added hardships it would bring, Darkfur looked around in wonder.

Swiftwind had stopped too, and was pawing at the freezing flakes. Suddenly, a glob hit Darkfur's back. She spun and confronted Swiftwind, who was looking around innocently.

"Swiftwind!" she yowled. She jumped on top of him, pressing him deep in the snow. He screeched and writhed, trying to free himself. Darkfur sprang off and dashed away, Swiftwind close on her heels. He tackled her and dragged her to the ground. Their screeches of pleasure awoke the rest of the camp. Cherrytail's kits came careening outside before their mother could stop them, and were immediately buried in snow up to their ears. Brownkit made huge leaps, trying to reach Darkfur and Swiftwind.

"Darkfur, what is this?" he meowed when he reached them.

"Snow," Darkfur purred, swiping her tongue across the kit's face. "It's fun to play in, huh?" The brown kit nodded agreement and raced back to his mother, who was emerging from the nursery.

Swiftwind purred. "Come on, now that you've got me up, let's go see the kit before Sharpclaw puts us on a hunting patrol."

Darkfur nodded and padded after her friend as he entered the den. It was warm inside, despite the frigidness of the clearing. Echosong was already awake, preparing a poultice. Lightpaw lay in her nest, still deeply asleep. Echosong signaled to them and Darkfur padded quietly past her sister.

"She was up all night, caring for this kit," Echosong meowed. She crossed the floor to where the little she-kit lay, breathing more evenly then the night before.

"How is she?" Swiftwind asked before Darkfur could.

Echosong took a deep breath. "She'll live, probably. But…I had to do this to her tail." Echosong shifted the kit very slightly, to reveal that her tail had been gnawed off.

Darkfur stared at the stub in horror. "It was too badly frostbitten for me to save," Echosong explained. "It was better for the kit if I cut it off."

"Has she woken up yet?" Darkfur asked, nuzzling the little kit.

"Briefly, just this morning. She's been traveling on her own after her mother was killed by a monster. She was trying to reach safety when those two rats attacked her."

"Will she stay here?" Swiftwind wondered. Darkfur glanced at him, and saw excitement in his eyes. She understood why; as the newest warriors, they could expect to receive apprentices soon, but Cherrytail's kits would not be ready for mentoring for another moon or so.

"I don't know," Echosong meowed. "And it would be wrong to push her to stay. Leafstar will speak to her when she awakens again. Now go, I know Sharpclaw will want hunting patrols with this snow."

Darkfur sighed and left the clearing. "I hope the little kit will be okay," she mewed. Swiftwind nodded and they hurried over to Sharpclaw, who stood in the middle of the clearing, arranging patrols.

"Darkfur!" he called. "Are you okay to take a patrol? You should be exhausted after last night."

Darkfur spat, narrowing her eyes teasingly at the deputy. "I think I can handle it, thanks Sharpclaw."

He shrugged and said, "In that case, go with Clovertail's patrol and bring back some fresh-kill. We have some frozen over, but the kits and queens need fresh prey." Darkfur nodded and moved to Clovertail's patrol. They hurried into the forest, turning their backs just in time to miss Lightpaw dash out of her den, her fur fluffed out. Blueshadow's kits were coming!

*

"Echosong!" Lightpaw gasped, dashing into the sunlit nursery. Echosong was already there, leaning over Blueshadow, whose flanks were heaving and rippling powerfully. Lightpaw set down the herbs she had carried and went to Echosong's side. The old silver she-cat let her paw rest on Blueshadow's flank.

"Look," Echosong meowed. "See her flanks rippling? Her body is working to push the kits out." Echosong waited for a few moments. Lightpaw admired her mentor's serenity in such a tense situation. Her own paws were trembling as she watched Blueshadow fight her kits into the world.

"You're doing fine, Blueshadow," Echosong purred. "Get ready to push now." Echosong went to Blueshadow's backside as the queen strained, her paws scrabbling in the moss. Lightpaw watched in amazement as Echosong brought one tiny kit over to her.

"Lick," she commanded. "Bite your way through the sack and lick the kit to warm it." As Lightpaw bent her head to lap at the kit, she noticed Cherrytail's kits clustering around, their eyes wide. Echosong almost stumbled over Dovekit as she brought Blueshadow's second kit over to Cherrytail to lick.

"Kits," Echosong meowed, "why don't you go find Sagefrost and let him know that Blueshadow is doing well? He'll be worried."

The kits seemed thrilled to be able to go outside, so they scampered into the clearing, their mews echoing throughout camp.

"Here comes the last kit, Blueshadow," Echosong meowed encouragingly. "You're almost done."

"Thank StarClan!" Blueshadow yowled. Her body strained before she collapsed in the moss, exhausted. Echosong brought the last kit over, her eyes tender as she began licking it. Lightpaw's kit stirred and let out a high-pitched wail, struggling towards its mother and the smell of milk.

Blueshadow purred falteringly as her kits were placed at her side and began to suckle. She wrapped her thick tail around them. "They're so beautiful," she whispered. Suddenly a low yowl echoed outside. Lightpaw twisted in the opening to see Sagefrost dragging himself towards them.

"How's Blueshadow?" he panted. "Is she okay?"

"Yes," Lightpaw purred, feeling happy and content. "You have three healthy kits, Sagefrost." The injured warrior's eyes shone with relief. Lightpaw let him rest on her shoulder as he heaved himself into the nursery and went to his mate's side.

"Look, Sagefrost," Blueshadow mewed tiredly. "This little one looks just like you." She nudged a little tom-kit that did look exactly like Sagefrost, his coat extremely pale gray, like Lightpaw's own.

_These kits are my kin,_ she realized with a small shock. She hadn't thought of it before, but it was true; Sagefrost was her mother's brother. The little pale gray kit was perfect proof.

"I want to name him Elmkit," Blueshadow mewed, her eyes glowing.

"I like that name," Sagefrost purred. Lightpaw flicked her tail and padded out of the den, leaving the two parents to name their kits on their own. The warming scene reminded her of one cat; Stripedpaw, the apprentice medicine cat of EarthClan.

She frowned when she thought of him. He had begged her to think about becoming his mate. Lightpaw flushed at the thought. Her duties to her Clan kept her busy, and her Clan was very hostile towards Stripedpaw's Clan. No good could come of the relationship, if indeed there was one.

But Lightpaw was feeling increasingly alone in her Clan. Her sister was a warrior now and pairing off with Swiftwind, her friend Blueshadow a mother, and her mother and father were busy with their own duties.

_StarClan help me. I don't know what to do!_ Lightpaw headed for her den to check on the little kit she and Darkfur had saved last night, hoping to take her mind off such thoughts. Much to her surprise, the silver kit was awake.

"Hello," Lightpaw purred. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," the little kit meowed, a slight trace of fear in her eyes. Lightpaw tried to lick her soothingly, but the little kit shied away. Lightpaw sighed. The little kit was still very wary of them, it seemed.

"I'm going to get Leafstar," Lightpaw meowed. "Will you be okay here for a minute? I'll bring you some fresh-kill too."

The kit seemed to brighten at the thought of food, and Lightpaw left the den, plowing her way across the clearing Leafstar's den. The SkyClan leader sat outside, her eyes half-closed as she groomed herself. She paused as Lightpaw approached.

"Leafstar," Lightpaw mewed, dipping her head. "The little she-kit Darkfur and I rescued last night is awake."

"Ah, I was hoping she would awaken soon. Let's go see her, shall we?" They hurried down the cliff, Lightpaw pausing to grab a shrew for the little kit. It was warm, and when Lightpaw looked she saw her sister just disappearing into the nursery to visit Blueshadow. However, the pile was pitifully small. _I won't take any today,_ Lightpaw decided. The warriors and queens needed it more then she did, that was for sure.

Lightpaw dropped her prey before the little she kit, who tore into it ravenously. Lightpaw felt a pang of sorrow; the little she-cat stank of crowfood, the run from the night before having done little to dispel the putrid scent.

"Well, little one," Leafstar mewed, sitting beside the little cat. "What do you want to do now? Do you have Twolegs to take you in?"

The little she-cat spat. "_Twolegs?_ Those foul things? As though my mother would let one of those things touch me. I would never go live with a Twoleg."

"Well, what would you do then?" Leafstar asked. Her voice was calm, but her eyes were worried. The little kit would die without someone to take care of her.

"Can I stay with you?" The kit's question shocked Lightpaw. From her reserved attitude, she would have assumed that the kit would demand to leave.

"You may," Leafstar meowed. "One of our queens would be willing to look after you until you can be apprenticed."

"And how long would that be?" the kit asked, her expression guarded again. Obviously, she didn't appreciate the fact that another cat would look after her like a mother.

"Until you're six moons."

"I nearly _am_ six moons," the little kit mewed, her eyes wide. "Only a few more sunrises."

Leafstar seemed surprised. "You're awfully small for six moons."

"My mother was small too," the silver she-cat meowed. "So can I be an apprentice?"

"Are you aware of the dangers?" Leafstar meowed, her eyes serious. "We've been having earth-shakers. Some cats freeze or starve in the cold, and many die of sickness."

"It's better then going to a Twoleg nest," the kit mewed.

"Very well," Leafstar meowed, rising to her paws. She gestured to Lightpaw, who padded over to her leader. "We'll hold this little one's ceremony once she has recovered. Until then, she'll be known as Blizzardkit. I'll announce it to the Clan."

"Wait! Why are you changing my name?" the little kit mewed. "My name's Silver."

Leafstar looked troubled. "In this Clan, kit's names are chosen depending on their personalities or, in your case, their condition."

"Oh. Well, can I be Silverkit then?" The little kit's fur was fluffed up. "I don't want to get rid of the name my mother gave me."

Leafstar was surprised by the little kit's request. Lightpaw tried to quell her anxious look. No cat disagreed with their leader!

But Leafstar was nodding, her eyes calm. "Then I name you Silverkit. I'm sure Cherrytail will be more then happy to look after you until you're ready to be an apprentice."

The little kit nodded and spiraled back down into her nest, trying to curl her stumpy tail around her nose. She blinked at the stump in surprise and looked up at Lightpaw.

"Where's my tail?" she demanded to know.

"My mentor, Echosong, couldn't save it. It was too badly frozen," Lightpaw explained. This time, when she licked the little kit, she didn't shy away.

"Oh. Okay then." Silverkit shut her eyes, and her breathing became rhythmic once more. Lightpaw followed her leader back into the snowy clearing.

"How long until she recovers?" Leafstar wanted to know.

"Only another day or so," Lightpaw promised. "The tail had no blood flowing through it, so there's no need to wait for a wound to heal. She just needs rest."

"Good," Leafstar meowed. She blinked kindly at Lightpaw. "Despite the fact that you were a warrior apprentice first, you are a great medicine cat. Keep up the good work, Lightpaw."

Lightpaw dipped her head, her eyes shining with gratitude. To receive a compliment from Leafstar, who had disapproved of Lightpaw from switching her apprenticeship, made Lightpaw glow with pleasure.

Leafstar nodded to her and went to choose fresh-kill, lying down beside Patchfoot, who purred to welcome his old friend.

Lightpaw padded back to her nest, exhausted after the long day and night before. As her eyes shut, a fantastic swirl of colors descended, surrounding her.

A majestic cat stepped down from the swirling stars, his fur dazzling her as he stalked across the clearing. "Lightpaw," he meowed, as a greeting.

Lightpaw crouched to the ground, her head bowed, and stayed that way for many long minutes. This cat was nobler then any other StarClan cat she had met so far. His eyes shone with great wisdom.

"I am Braveheart," he meowed. "I have come to warn you, young Lightpaw."

Lightpaw felt her fur bristle. "Warn me of what?" she asked warily. She had never seen this StarClan cat before, could not even imagine what Clan he had belonged to in life.

"Sickness is coming," he hissed. The clearing faded, leaving nothing but blackness. Braveheart's voice echoed everywhere. Lightpaw opened her eyes wide, trying to see him, but the blackness was impenetrable. "Sickness is coming to your Clan. Beware, young Lightpaw. Beware!"

*

Darkfur padded into the clearing the next morning and looked around. Swiftwind was gone already, on the dawn patrol, and Blueshadow would be curled around her kits. Bored, Darkfur rolled in the snow to clean her coat. A cat calling her name made her glance up.

"Darkfur," Sharpclaw meowed, waving his tail in greeting. "Would you mind go hunting? I have a patrol out already, but it may not be enough. Cherrytail's kits have started eating fresh-kill now," he added with a hint of pride.

Darkfur nodded. "They'll be ready for their apprentice ceremonies soon," she purred, getting to her paws. She trotted out of camp, relaxed and cheerful, but another voice called her back. Darkfur turned once more to see her sister bounding towards her.

"Darkfur," Lightpaw panted. "I need you to help me. StarClan spoke to me last night." Darkfur's fur brushed up along her spine. StarClan had spoken to her once as well, and that experience had been awe-inspiring enough. What could it possibly be like for it to be a normal thing, like it was for her sister?

"What did they say?" Darkfur asked anxiously.

"They warned me of sickness coming to the Clan. I don't know how or when or why, but its coming. I need to go and gather as many herbs as I can."

"It just snowed," Darkfur mewed doubtfully, flicking her tail. "I'm no medicine cat, but doesn't that mean most herbs will be buried or dead?"

"Buried we can find," Lightpaw mewed, her eyes wide with fear. "And there are berries that I can gather. Juniper's good for strength. _Please,_ Darkfur."

"Fine," Darkfur mewed. "But I have to hunt on the way. Sharpclaw ordered me to."

"Whatever," Lightpaw snapped, kneading her paws on the ground. "Let's go!" The pale gray apprentice dashed off. Darkfur followed. She had never seen her sister this agitated before, and it worried her.

"Here," Lightpaw mewed, not far from camp. She was digging at the ground, clawing up a plant. "This is chickweed. It's a little stale, but it'll work better then nothing. We use it to help treat greencough."

"How do you know its greencough that's coming?" Darkfur wanted to know.

"I don't," Lightpaw admitted, not looking up from the chickweed. "But why else would StarClan warn me of sickness? Greencough is the killer, and it _is_ in season right now."

Darkfur shrugged. Her ears twitched when she heard a rustle in the undergrowth. She harrowed off, and scooped a vole into the air just as it dove for its nest. She killed it quickly and brought it back to her sister. The two she-cats padded back into camp. Darkfur dropped her offering on the fresh-kill pile and waited for her sister, who dropped the chickweed in the medicine cats' den and came sprinting back.

"Echosong's going to kill me," Lightpaw panted as they raced back into the forest. "I didn't sort that chickweed right."

Soon Lightpaw found a juniper bush, and began picking at the berries, ignoring those unable to be salvaged. Darkfur managed to kill another vole and a mouse, but the mouse was so pitifully thin that she considered leaving it. _The Clan needs every piece of fresh-kill,_ she decided. _I can eat this piece if there isn't enough for every cat._

The two sisters made several more trips before they retired for the day. "I wish I could have found some catnip," Lightpaw mourned through thick leaves as they trotted back to camp for the last time. Darkfur held herbs in her jaws as well; she had been unable to find any prey the last time they went out.

"Thanks for helping," Lightpaw meowed when they reached camp. She bounded down the rocks and disappeared into the medicine cats' den. Darkfur looked around. It was too early to go to bed just yet, so Darkfur trotted back out of camp. Maybe she could scare up one more mouse before the sun set. She saw Badgerpaw and Petalnose returning after a day of training. She mewed a greeting and continued on her way, heading deeper into the woods that marked the border with EarthClan. Few cats headed this way, and Darkfur hoped that more prey would be out.

She was not disappointed. She quickly caught a squirrel and buried it. She had just straightened and began scenting the air when a rabbit broke cover. Darkfur leaped after it, stretching her exhausted body to its limits. But the rabbit dove into a bush. A triumphant yowl sounded a moment later. Darkfur froze. What were cats doing around here? Her Clan would be settling for the night.

A lean gray shape stalked out of the bushes. "Well, well," Jadepaw purred, narrowing her eyes. "I come out looking for fresh-kill, and I find a trespasser instead…who _gave_ me fresh-kill."

Darkfur spat, her fur bristling. She had been so intent on chasing the rabbit that she hadn't noticed crossing the scent line. But that didn't mean she was going to take cheek from this annoying apprentice. "You're lucky I chased up that rabbit for you," she hissed. "Otherwise your Clan would have gone hungry."

The gray she-cat hissed, her bright blue eyes snapping fire. "I'd be careful who you spoke to _student._ I'm a warrior now."

Darkfur arched her back. "We're on even ground then," she taunted. "I took my warrior name several nights ago."

"Oh," the new warrior purred. "Then this should be interesting." She sprang, but Darkfur was more then ready for her at this point. She dropped into a crouch and exploded upwards, sending the annoying she-cat tumbling into the undergrowth. The warrior recovered quickly, Darkfur had to admit. She came bounding back, and managed to score her claws through Darkfur's black coat. She spat as blood welled up and launched herself at the EarthClan warrior, blood pounding in her ears. The two she-cats collided and their yowls echoed throughout the forest as they bit and scratched each other. Darkfur managed to get a grip on the gray she-cat's hind leg, and would not get go. The enemy howled, spitting with pain, before lashing out with thorn-sharp claws that ripped another wound in Darkfur's coat.

Darkfur saw her blood spatter the grass, even in the fading light. She had to finish this quickly, before this she-cat did manage to kill her. She launched herself skywards, using her powerful back legs to leap higher then any normal cat was capable of. The gray she-cat howled as Darkfur landed on top of her, squashing her underneath.

Darkfur purred in her enemy's ear. "What's your new name? I can carry the news back to my Clan about how easy you were to beat."

"It's Jadetail," the she-cat snarled. "And I'm not beaten yet!" She surged upward, knocking Darkfur aside. Darkfur howled as Jadetail's teeth sank into her leg. She reared up on her hind legs, swiping her paws in the air. She scratched Jadetail's nose with one paw, and finally managed to hit a winning blow – her claws scored across the gray throat, and Jadetail let out an eerie wail. Still wailing, she backed into the bushes and fled, but not forgetting her prey. Darkfur spat – she had hoped to at least take the rabbit back to her Clan.

Slowly, Darkfur limped across the boundary, pausing to leave a scent mark on her spot of victory. The EarthClan cats would think twice about hunting so near the border again. A yowl made Darkfur look up. Swiftwind was running towards her, his eyes wide.

"Darkfur! What in StarClan's name happened?"

Darkfur swayed. "I accidently crossed EarthClan's border, and Jadepaw – Jade_tail_ now – attacked me."

"Mouse-brain," Swiftwind purred affectionately. "I grabbed that squirrel you caught earlier, so let's head back to camp and get some cat to look at those wounds." Darkfur gratefully leaned on her friend as he helped her back to camp. In the gorge, Darkfur laid down in the clearing while Swiftwind dashed away to get Echosong. The elderly silver she-cat came padding out of her den, her eyes worried.

"Great StarClan, Darkfur, you look like you've been fighting monsters on the Thunderpath. Swiftwind says an EarthClan cat attacked you?"  
Darkfur grunted as Echosong bent over her, placing cobwebs on her worst wounds. "It was my fault," she admitted, looking down at her paws. "I did cross the border by mistake. I'm just not used to it being there. But I had to fight, or Jadetail would have killed me."

"Jadetail, hm?" Echosong asked as she spat stinging juice into Darkfur's leg wound. Darkfur winced and then relaxed again. "I would have thought those cats would be a bit more grateful to us. After all, we didn't harm them when they were in our camp."

Darkfur snorted. "They don't care about that."

"What would you have done then?" Echosong asked. Darkfur glanced up, startled, expecting to see an amused glimmer in the medicine cat's eyes, but there was none. Echosong was silent, waiting for an answer.

"I'm not saying," Darkfur meowed slowly, "that I would have done anything different from Leafstar. I don't know _what_ I would have done. That's why I respect Leafstar so much. And Firestar," she added as an after-thought, naming the old ThunderClan leader. "They make decisions that the rest of us can't comprehend."

Echosong nodded. "What would you do if one of these decisions were put in your paws, Darkfur? Would you pass it off to some other cat?"

Darkfur blinked. She had always valued the old medicine cat for her wisdom, but never had Darkfur seen Echosong's eyes blaze with the same intensity they did now. There was a savage strength there; a desire to learn that something that Darkfur could not comprehend. She flinched away from the old silver she-cat before answering.

"If there was a danger to my Clan," Darkfur responded, choosing her words carefully, "then I would not hesitate to make the best choice I thought possible. But I wouldn't _want_ to make the decision."

Echosong nodded and turned away, and Darkfur relaxed to not have those blazing eyes on her any longer. "You're done," Echosong meowed, not turning around. Her voice was back to normal. "Come back tomorrow so I can check that bite, but I think you'll be okay."

"Thanks, Echosong," Darkfur meowed, standing stiffly and padding out of the den. Swiftwind was waiting for her; he helped her to the warrior's den and they curled up together. That night, Darkfur dreamed again.

She stood in a clearing, Swiftwind, Lightpaw, Blueshadow, and her parents around her. Slowly, one by one, they began to disappear with screeches of pain and battle yowls, until only Darkfur remained. She mewled like a kit and dashed around the clearing, calling to her friends and family. No cat answered. There was a high-pitched wail, and then silence again.

"Darkfur." Darkfur spun to find Rainfur behind her. Behind the old SkyClan warrior stood her friends and family, stars glimmering in their fur.

"Battles are coming, Darkfur," Rainfur meowed, fixing her with a powerful stare as Darkfur tried to drag her gaze away from her loved ones, standing as though warriors of StarClan. "Learn what you must become, quickly."

Darkfur awoke gasping. She scrabbled in her nest for a moment before realizing that she was in the warrior's den, her sleeping Clanmates all around her, safe and secure. Darkfur panted for breath and, with a glance at Swiftwind, padded out of the den.

"Great StarClan," she whispered to the night air. "What must I become to save my Clan?"

**A/N: ForgeUpwards here! I apologize for any editing mistakes – I ran through this one pretty fast, because it was a gorgeous day in my hometown, and I wanted to enjoy it (you know, before we're all swamped in snow again). Please enjoy, and REVIEW.**


	4. Chapter 4

Lightpaw was still curled up in her nest when she heard a rasping cough. Immediately she sat up, her ears pricked. Mintcloud stood in the clearing, her nose and eyes streaming. Rockfang paced anxiously beside her, his lips drawn back in a snarl. Lightpaw scented the air. The fetid scent of sickness pervaded all.

"Mintcloud!" Lightpaw mewed, dashing over to her mother. Mintcloud tried to rasp a greeting and broke off into a hacking cough. Lightpaw watched in dismay as her mother sank to the ground.

"Echosong!" Lightpaw yowled, trying to awaken her mentor. Her paws trembled with fear as she helped her mother up and brought her to a nest freshly padded with moss. Echosong stumbled out of her den, her eyes widening when she saw Mintcloud.

"There's always one," she meowed, wriggling back through the rock crag to where the herbs were stored. "Don't worry Mintcloud, Lightpaw and I will have you back on patrol in no time."

Mintcloud tried to purr, but broke off in another stifling cough. Rockfang was still pacing outside the den. Lightpaw went and pressed her nose to his fur. He purred hoarsely, his eyes worried. "What is this?" he wondered. "It came on so quickly. Mintcloud was fine yesterday."

"Echosong and I will figure it out," Lightpaw meowed, sounding more confident then she felt. "For now, go hunting. The Clan needs the fresh-kill."

Rockfang sighed. "Fine. But call me if Mintcloud gets any worse." He padded away with another anxious glance over his shoulder. Lightpaw felt a pit of dread in her stomach when she heard her mother cough again. Could the sickness Braveheart predicted be about to come true?

Lightpaw padded around the camp, her ears pricked for the sound of a cough, rasping breath, or other signs of sickness. She passed the warrior's den and Leafstar's den, along with Sagefrost's den, but when she came to the nursery, she inhaled deeply. A faint tinge of sickness was in the air. Alarmed, Lightpaw squirmed through the opening and confronted the scene there; Blueshadow was hunched over her, coughing dangerously close to the tiny kits.

"No!" Lightpaw gasped. She shoved Blueshadow away from her kits. The blue-gray queen turned on her with a snarl before she realized who it was.

"It's just a cold," Blueshadow rasped, trying to dismiss the sickness. Cherrytail stirred from her nest on the other side of the den.

"What's going on?" Cherrytail asked curiously, getting to her paws.

"Stay back!" Lightpaw snapped, nosing Blueshadow and her kits. "Blueshadow's sick, and she's going to contaminate the kits if she keeps going like this. You need to move to the medicine cat den, Blueshadow," Lightpaw informed the queen.

"No!" Blueshadow snapped. "The kits still need my milk. They'll die if I leave them now."

"Of course they won't!" Cherrytail meowed, signaling for her own litter to stay back with a flick of her tail. "I still have milk. I'll feed your kits."

Blueshadow tried to protest, but was cut off by another cough. Lightpaw took the advantage to nudge the sick queen to her paws and push her out of the den. Blueshadow stuck her head back in the nursery when her kits started mewling.

"It's okay kits," she mewed comfortingly. "I'll be back in a few days."

Lightpaw helped the blue-gray she-cat stagger across the clearing. She arranged a nest in the den for Blueshadow, who lay down with a heavy sigh. Mintcloud was already sleeping fitfully, her paws twitching. Lightpaw lightly nuzzled her mother's flank; it was burning with fever.

The lichen hanging over the den twitched and Darkfur burst through, her pelt bristling. "Mintcloud!" she yelped when she saw her mother.

"Shh!" Lightpaw hissed. Darkfur glanced at her apologetically and tried to lie down next to her mother, but Lightpaw intercepted her sister.

"Darkfur, if anything happens I'll let you know, but we need to keep all of the healthy cats out of here!"

Darkfur glanced at her sister, and then at her mother, and then back at her sister. "Fine." Darkfur's voice was flat with grief. "Make sure you call me if anything happens. I had better go hunting with Swiftwind."

"Wait!" Lightpaw meowed. She gestured towards Silverkit, watching the entire scene with wide eyes from the corner. "Silverkit still needs rest, but she would do better in the nursery, instead of surrounded by sick cats. Can you take her there?"

Darkfur dipped her head in a nod and shepherded the little kit out of the den. "What's happening?" Silverkit demanded to know once they were in the clearing. Lightpaw didn't hear her sister's response, but she shivered.

_I only wish I knew!_ Lightpaw thought in despair.

**Chapter 4**

Darkfur was distraught when she padded out of her den a half moon later. For a moment, all appeared normal. Patchfoot was just getting ready to lead the dawn patrol out. Petalnose called to Badgerpaw, who dashed across the clearing to join the cats as they bounded up the stone cliffs.

But the tension in the camp was there when Darkfur bothered to look closer. Cherrytail was stiff-legged as she padded to the fresh-kill pile and snatched a blackbird before racing back to the nursery. Lightpaw was once more making her rounds around the camp, sniffing the air. And Sagefrost sat outside the medicine cats' den, his good front paws working the ground anxiously, for any glimpse or scent of his beloved mate. Echosong would not allow the gray tom access to the den, and his frustration showed.

"Darkfur!" Leafstar was padding across the clearing. "Grab Swiftwind and come to my den. We must discuss something." Darkfur dipped her head to her leader, questions running through her mind. What did Leafstar need to discuss with them? For a moment the thought of an apprentice flashed through Darkfur's mind, but she shook the thought away. Cherrytail's kits were still too young. Badgerpaw would have to endure as the only apprentice for a little while yet.

Darkfur hurried to find Swiftwind, who was just awakening in the warriors den. "Leafstar wants us," she meowed briefly. Swiftwind nodded and stood, swiping his tongue around his lips one last time. Darkfur glanced at her friend as they padded to their leader's den. The sun glinted off of his powerful shoulders and haunches, made strong after moons of jumping from rock to rock. His pelt sparkled, and his eyes glinted merrily. He turned to look at her, and his amber eyes took on a warm look to them. Darkfur looked away, her tail twitching. Once more, she was made aware of the fact that she and Swiftwind were becoming much more then friends.

They arrived at Leafstar's den and Darkfur meowed a greeting before pushing her way inside. Leafstar was sitting in her nest, grooming herself after a meal. She paused when the two young warriors entered and allowed her paw to drop.

"Darkfur, Swiftwind," she greeted them. "I've called you here to present something to you. You both know of the sickness that has befallen our camp recently. Echosong has been unable to identify it, and StarClan has sent no message – yet," Leafstar added. "But I'm worried about EarthClan. They are new to this place, and this is a new disease. I would be worse then a mouse-brained fool not to check to see if they are sick as well.

"So," Leafstar continued, "I want you two to sneak over the border and find their camp. _Stay hidden_ and find if they are similarly afflicted. If they are, then I may be able to suppose that this disease is new. If they are not affected, then I must conclude that they know of the disease, and also know how to deal with it."

"It's a problem," Swiftwind agreed, flicking his tail. "If they aren't affected by the disease, they could mount a raid on our camp. Who could stop them if we're all sick?"

Darkfur felt as though the ground lurched under her paws, though to her relief it was still. Swiftwind was right – a weakened SkyClan had no hope to fight off the strong EarthClan, especially when it appeared that they were making new warriors.

"We'll go," she volunteered instantly. "And StarClan help any EarthClan cat who tries to stop us." Swiftwind mewed agreement, but Leafstar looked disconcerted.

"You mustn't attack them," she meowed, her words bent with iron will. "We are the ones spying on them."

Darkfur nodded hastily, ashamed that she had let her aggression get away from her. Swiftwind also nodded, those his amber eyes still blazed.

"Report back to me what you find," Leafstar meowed. "Go now, but after the sun sets. Both of your pelts are dark, thank StarClan. It should be easier to hide you, even in this snow. Find Echosong before you leave and get traveling herbs."

Leafstar curled up in her nest, an obvious dismissal. Darkfur and Swiftwind dipped their heads in obedience and backed out of the den, bounding across the clearing. Darkfur felt her pelt bristling with excitement, even while her heart pounded with fear. Her first warrior mission!

Echosong was expecting them. She dipped her head to two small piles lying at her paws. "Take these herbs," she meowed. "And may StarClan go with you."

A rasping cough sent the medicine cat skittering across the den. As Darkfur gulped down the herbs, wincing at the taste, she saw her sister's light pelt through the gloom. Lightpaw stood beside her suddenly, her amber eyes wide with worry.

"Come back safely," she meowed, pressing her fur into her sister's pelt. "The Clan needs you…and so do I."

Darkfur licked her sister gently on the head. "How's Mintcloud?" she asked.

Lightpaw sighed. "Weak. Nothing I try will work to fight the sickness. We can use feverfew to bring down the fever, juniper berries to give her strength, and tansy for the cough, but I can't find the right combination of herbs to get rid of it completely."

"Have you tried catmint?" Darkfur asked anxiously, knowing full well the healing powers of the sumptuous herb.

"Of course!" Lightpaw snapped. Then she hung her head. "I'm sorry. Yes, I've tried it, but it seems to have no effect. Whatever this disease is, neither Echosong nor I have ever seen its like."

Darkfur pushed her nose into her sister's shoulder, doing her best to comfort her. "You'll get it soon," she meowed, trying to buoy her sister's sunken spirits. "Keep trying. I'll be back before you know it."

Lightpaw nodded, her eyes far away. "I won't tell Mintcloud were you have gone. I don't want her to worry." Lightpaw seemed to hesitate before meowing, "And if you see Stripedpaw…tell him I said hello, okay? Just as a friendly greeting from one medicine cat to another!" she meowed hastily. Darkfur cocked her head at her sister's strange tone, but there was nothing she could do about it right now. Swiftwind was ready to leave.

"I have to go," Darkfur meowed, pressing her nose into her sister's fur. "I'll talk to you when we get back." Lightpaw nodded and hurried back to her patients. Darkfur left camp quickly with Swiftwind, keeping their tails down and their ears low. They took a harder route out of camp, to avoid Bouncefoot, who was sitting sentry.

Finally free of the confines of the camp, Darkfur and Swiftwind raced each other, the wind pulsing softly through their fur as they raced towards hostile territory. Darkfur raced alongside her friend and felt a warm glow in her heart. It pushed away all the darkness, all of the shadows that she had been plagued with lately – her mother's ill health, the threat of EarthClan, the earth-shakers, and her feelings towards Swiftwind. She was content to race along with Swiftwind forever, their pelts brushing in close companionship.

But the slowly setting sun reminded Darkfur of her real reason for racing across their territory with such haste. She had to protect her Clan from this threat of EarthClan – with their disease and their pitiless ancestors.

Darkfur and Swiftwind halted on the border between SkyClan and EarthClan. Uttering a quick prayer to StarClan, both cats bunched their powerful muscles and leaped into one of the trees. All SkyClan cats have incredibly powerful back legs, and Swiftwind and Darkfur put these to use now, flexing their steel-like muscles to leap from tree to tree like squirrels, as they had been showed in their training. Darkfur had never actually used the technique before outside of training, and to watch the forest sail by far below her was unbelievably disconcerting. But hopefully, with their dark pelts blending in with the leafbare trees, no cat saw them.

They leapt down from the trees far from the SkyClan border. They were now deep in EarthClan territory, and it made Darkfur's pelt prickle. Every bush had been strongly marked with the scent of the enemy Clan, and no fern was untouched. Darkfur briefly recalled Gingerpelt's promise – that EarthClan would soon leave the gorge. However, judging from the strong scent that had built up, it did not appear as though EarthClan had any intentions of moving.

Swiftwind seemed to have noticed the strong scent as well, but they could not speak. They had to find the camp quickly and locate a good place to hide. Hopefully EarthClan would not be too tired after the long day to give away some secrets to unnoticed eyes.

Darkfur and Swiftwind separated, placing their paws as lightly as they possibly could. A mouse darted into Darkfur's path as she sniffed at a bush, narrowing her eyes to try to pinpoint the EarthClan scent that saturated everything. The mouse froze, its eyes widening. Darkfur longed to snap it up, but the herbs had quelled her hunger and, more then that, warriors did not hunt on other warrior's land. Even if EarthClan insisted on breaking the warrior code, despite the fact that they seemed to know little of it, Darkfur would not be tempted with the same. So she allowed the mouse to skitter away and concentrated on the scent again. The snow had melted the day before, leaving little chance to find prints, and even the mud provided little help, instead clinging to Darkfur's sleek pelt and making her feel miserable. She was barely able to pick up the scent, but it was getting stronger and stronger when unexpectedly Swiftwind appeared at her side.

"I found the camp," he hissed. Darkfur sighed, trying to calm her racing heart. Creeping through the bushes like that, she had though Swiftwind was an enemy warrior!

Darkfur followed her Clanmate back through the forest until they reached ground sparsely covered by grass. It was mostly dirt, and Darkfur reflected that it was a good place for a camp, for a Clan like EarthClan.

The two SkyClan cats launched themselves up a tree and crouched there, their pelts blending with the bark. Below them, the camp activity was still bustling. Jadetail was just coming in from hunting, a squirrel clamped in her jaws. She spat it out onto the large fresh-kill pile and stalked away. A black cat bounded over to meet her, and they gently touched noses. Darkfur strained her ears to pick out what they were saying.

"Ravencall, want to go hunting tomorrow?" Darkfur's eyes widened. She had never heard the sassy gray she-cat sound so gentle. Ravencall, the former Ravenpaw, purred with delight.

"Of course. Come on, let's go and eat." They padded out of range of Darkfur's hearing, heading for a plump rabbit placed under a bush. Both warriors squeezed inside and disappeared. _Warriors den,_ Darkfur thought, nudging Swiftwind to indicate her find. He nodded and flicked his tail towards a light brown she-cat outside another den. Three kits romped around her.

"Take this, Leafstar!" One of the kits, a ginger tom, pounced on a brown tom, who struggled under the larger kit's weight. A tiny she-kit appeared suddenly, nipping both of her brothers on the ears.

"Now you're both SkyClan warriors!" she crowed, launching herself at them. The two toms squealed in surprise and pretended to run away. "Cowards!" she cried after them.

Darkfur felt her blood chill. These kits were pretending that they were fighting SkyClan! Darkfur sensed her heart begin to beat fast when she realized that one of these days she would probably have to fight these kits, who were playing so innocently below her. They were clearly already hostile towards her Clan though, as kits, they had no idea _how_ bad the tensions were between the cats in the gorge and their own Clan.

Darkfur's attention was diverted when she saw a patrol coming through the tunnel. A sandy tom went to meet them, his tail high. A gray tom Darkfur didn't know but vaguely remembered stepped forward and narrowed his eyes in respect towards the sandy tom.

"Sandstar," the gray tom meowed. "My patrol and I caught the scent of SkyClan cats on our territory." Darkfur froze. _Great StarClan, even with all of that muck they scented us!_

Sandstar tensed. "How many?" he rasped, shooting a fearful glance towards the nursery and the kits playing there.

"Two, maybe three," the gray tom meowed. "We tried to follow the scent, but it disappeared near a copse of trees. It's like they flew right out of the territory!"

Sandstar relaxed, as did Darkfur and Swiftwind. They had mistaken the direction in which the scent came!

"If they were headed out of the territory, then maybe we have nothing to worry about. Nevertheless, we'll be very careful these next few days. I'll tell Birdwing to keep the kits in the nursery." They gray tom dipped his head and signaled to his patrol.

"Eat, sleep," he commanded. "Yellowfur will pick cats for the dawn patrol tomorrow."

"Yes, and Ravencall and Jadetail are on it!" A beautiful ginger she-cat bounded down the rocks piled on the far side from the camp entrance. "Those two have been slacking."

The gray tom dipped his head, a purr rumbling in his throat. Obviously, he thought the ginger she-cat was pretty. "Wolfclaw, you can come hunting with me," Yellowfur meowed, narrowing her eyes prettily at the gray tom. He twitched his tail in acknowledgment, trying to appear indifferent.

Darkfur recognized Gingerpelt as she padded away from the patrol, but the silver she-cat that followed her was unknown. However, it appeared as though none of the Clan was sick. Every cat looked healthy and happy, their ears pricked and their eyes shining. A black she-cat that Darkfur knew as Waterfern, the medicine cat, padded out of a sandy patch hidden by ferns and walked calmly over to Birdwing, the brown queen. The two she-cats sat with their tails curled over their paws, gossiping about the kits.

"I think we've got everything," Swiftwind breathed, his mouth so close to Darkfur's ear that she flicked it, uncomfortably aware of his soft breath on her. Darkfur nodded and dropped silently to the ground. The two cats hurried out of the territory, their pelts bristling at the thought of pursuers. However, they met no cats until they crossed the border to SkyClan. Darkfur felt herself relax as her paws skimmed over the border. Her relief was short-lived however, because Swiftwind, far ahead of her, yowled the alarm.

Darkfur bounded to his side and confronted a large gray-and-brown tom, arching his back aggressively.

"Crowfood!" she spat, her tail bushing out. "What are you doing on our territory?!"

"I could ask you the same thing," he meowed calmly, allowing his fur to lie flat. He sat down, and Darkfur, after a moment's hesitation, did the same. Inside, she boiled with mad rage. This cat had seen her crossing the border! If he told his Clan leader, EarthClan would have enough incentive to attack SkyClan.

"You are Lightpaw's sister, correct?" he meowed, his eyes suddenly burning with savage fire. Darkfur nodded, wondering at the wisdom of telling him. But it had sounded like a rhetorical question; as though he knew exactly who she was.

"What do you want with Lightpaw, fox-hearted coward?" Swiftwind growled beside Darkfur. "What do you want with Darkfur, come to that?"

"Sorry for insulting your mate," Stripedpaw meowed smoothly. Darkfur felt the heat rush to her ears. Swiftwind stiffened beside her, but did not try to correct the apprentice. Darkfur opened her mouth to set him straight, but he swept past her retort.

"Look, I'm not interested, okay? Did Lightpaw tell you anything? Anything that you should have told me?"

Darkfur's glare sharpened on the young apprentice. Lightpaw _had_ told her to say hello, but should she tell this young apprentice that? She was confused and suspicious of what sort of relationship they may have together, and speaking to him about Lightpaw would only make things worse. _But then, _Darkfur reflected, _medicine cats follow something different then the warrior code. Lightpaw _did_ say she had just said hello from one medicine cat to another. Hostilities don't apply with medicine cats._

"She did say hello," Darkfur meowed regretfully after a long pause. "Why? Why are you so interested?"

Stripedpaw, however, had lost his fire. "Nothing," he muttered, scraping the ground with one paw. "I won't tell any cat I saw you, because you're Lightpaw's sister. See you."

He bounded back over his own border. Darkfur flicked her tail, now anxious. "Why in the name of StarClan would he want to know about Lightpaw?" Darkfur demanded of Swiftwind as they set off back towards camp.

Swiftwind didn't answer right away, and Darkfur glanced at him, concerned. His eyes were glazed and his tail drooped.

"Swiftwind?" Darkfur mewed anxiously.

"I'm fine," he muttered.

"So, are you going to answer my question or not?" Darkfur demanded to know.

"Maybe he loves her," Swiftwind breathed, his eyes suddenly locking with Darkfur's. She flinched, but couldn't look away from the amber pools. Somehow, she got the feeling he wasn't talking about Lightpaw and Stripedpaw anymore.

"What do you mean?" she asked, playing dunce. Swiftwind halted abruptly, and swung around to face her. For a moment, the two cats stood nose-to-nose. Darkfur didn't think she imagined the pain and longing she pictured in Swiftwind's eyes.

"Do you honestly not know how I feel about you, Darkfur? Or don't you feel the same way?" Swiftwind meowed. He looked on edge, as though about to leap into battle. Darkfur felt the same – except that this battle was one of the heart, instead of tooth and claw.

Darkfur shuffled her paws, feeling awkward. "It's not that I haven't noticed," Darkfur mumbled finally, her pelt prickling. _Great StarClan, why is this harder then fighting!_ "I'm just afraid…We're young, and I'm frightened that if something goes wrong we – we won't be friends anymore."

"Great StarClan, that's the problem?" Swiftwind demanded. Darkfur looked away. He made it sound so simple.

"Our friendship means too much," she whispered, not meeting his eyes.

Swiftwind stepped forward and nuzzled her. Darkfur flinched away from his touch for a moment, and then nuzzled him back. "I'll never leave you," he purred. "You're the only cat for me. Nothing bad will happen, I promise."

Darkfur wanted to give herself up to the warmth of his dark tabby pelt, but she knew she couldn't just yet. "We have to get back to camp," she murmured, her thoughts muddled. "We have to report to Leafstar."

Swiftwind pulled back, looking hurt. "I love you. Does that mean anything?"

Darkfur gulped, wishing she hadn't eaten the old stringy mouse that had been left on the fresh-kill pile that morning. "Yes, it does. But we have responsibilities right now."

"Will you think about it?" he demanded.

"Yes," Darkfur breathed. Swiftwind nodded.

"Then I won't push you again until you're ready." They padded back to camp, once more side-by-side with their pelts brushing. But Darkfur wasn't entirely comfortable, and she resolved to speak to Mintcloud as soon as her mother was well again. Maybe Mintcloud could explain what Darkfur was feeling deep inside, as though she had swallowed a frog.

*

Lightpaw sat by the side of her ill mother, her pelt prickling as she listened to her mother's harsh, shallow breaths. It was over a half moon since Darkfur and Swiftwind had returned from EarthClan, and the news that the enemy Clan was not sick was startling, unwelcoming, and daunting news.

Even worse was that the sick cats had not recovered at all. Blueshadow had not seen her kits in many days, not that she had the strength any longer to complain.

Yowling erupted in the clearing, and Lightpaw stumbled outside, weak from lack of sleep. She spotted her sister and Swiftwind, their pelts bristling with horror. Suddenly Cherrytail burst into the clearing, her kits streaming out behind her like ducklings.

"Sharpclaw!" she yowled. Lightpaw pushed her way through her Clanmates to find Echosong at Sharpclaw's head. The ginger deputy lay collapsed in the dirt, his breathing hoarse and ragged. After so many days with the sickness, Lightpaw easily recognized it.

She dashed back to the medicine cats' den and made a nest for the deputy even as Leafstar and Echosong carried him into the den. They laid him down gently, their eyes wide with fear. Lightpaw looked at both of them, waiting for instructions, but their wide eyes and shocked expressions would not help her. Lightpaw scrambled through the herb stores until she found tansy and feverfew. She crushed them up, chewing them both into a fine pulp, and stuffed it down Sharpclaw's throat. He convulsed, as though he would be sick, before collapsing limply in his nest.

"He's been working too hard," Leafstar meowed, her voice hard. "It's my fault – I haven't been arranging the patrols like I should be."

"It isn't your fault, Leafstar," Echosong meowed soothingly. "I'll do my best to see that Sharpclaw is on his paws again soon. You had better go – the Clan is anxious."

Leafstar nodded, dipping her head to both of the medicine cats before padding out of the den. Despite her reassurances, Lightpaw felt Echosong shudder, taking a deep breath. The truth was that no cat knew if any of the sick cats would get up again.

"Blueshadow needs her nest freshened," Echosong meowed suddenly. "Lightpaw, can you see to it?"

Lightpaw dipped her head and hurried out of the den to find the Clan dispersed. Only Cherrytail, with her kits, waited at the entrance.

"Is Sharpclaw okay?" she demanded at once.

Lightpaw shrugged, in no mood to be even half-hopeful. "I don't know. Look, we only have one apprentice right now besides me, and Badgerpaw is working too hard. The nursery hasn't been cleaned out in days. Why don't the kits do it?"

Brownkit, Sunkit, and Dovekit bounced excitedly, their tails in the air. "Yeah, come on, let us help!" Sunkit pleaded.

"We'll be apprentices soon," Brownkit added, his eyes uncharacteristically serious for his young age. "If the Clan needs help, then we can help."

Cherrytail sighed, closing her eyes. Then she opened them and nodded. "Fine. Let's go kits, and I'll show you a good place to get moss. We call it the Whispering Cave."

"Why is it called that?" Brownkit demanded to know as his mother led him away. Lightpaw left the tortoiseshell queen to explain to her litter about the cave that fed the river, with the glowing moss and the whispers of their ancestors.

Lightpaw padded into the forest, letting the chirping of birds and the yipping calls of a fox pup soothe her. She needn't worry about the fox – it was too far away to be a threat. She had just reached an open stretch of ground that she could gather bracken and feathers from an old kill of the foxes when a rustling overhead alerted her to unwanted company. She sniffed the air, her pelt prickling when she caught no scent. Lightpaw was just about to race back to camp when a brown-and-gray shape lunged down from the trees, his pelt shaking and covered in leaves. Lightpaw realized that he had not jumped down from the tree, but rather fallen. She felt her whiskers twitch. SkyClan cats, like Lightpaw, belonged in trees and were excellent climbers and jumpers. However, it appeared that EarthClan cats like Stripedpaw did not enjoy being in trees.

"Lightpaw!" Lightpaw almost drew back from his over-enthusiastic greeting, but his shining eyes dulled to a point that Lightpaw felt sorry for him. He must have been lurking in the territory for a while, hoping for a glimpse of her. She nuzzled him.

"Hello, Stripedpaw," she meowed. "I should ask what you're doing on my territory, but I guess we both know the answer."

Her ears warmed as he gazed at her. "Have you thought about _your_ answer? Will you be my mate or not?"

Lightpaw shifted uncomfortably. She knew very little about Stripedpaw, though he seemed to know much about her. Asking the question seemed presumptuous of him. But she couldn't forget the way Stripedpaw made her feel. He was nice enough, and he was always willing to do anything for her.

"I – I still need time to think," Lightpaw muttered, looking away awkwardly. "Do you know hard it would be, Stripedpaw? My Clan hates yours! I mean, what if I had kits? My Clan needs me now."

Stripedpaw dipped his head. "I understand. But Lightpaw, I can't go on like this! I can't concentrate on my duties, and all I do is moon around the border, hoping for just a whiff of your scent!"

Lightpaw could hardly bear the intensity of his eyes. "I know. I can't stop thinking about you."

Stripedpaw purred hoarsely. "See? We can make it work, Lightpaw, I know we can." Lightpaw still felt doubtful, but she couldn't say no to the burning in his eyes.

"Okay," she agreed reluctantly.

Stripedpaw bounced, for a moment looking like a kit instead of a wise medicine cat apprentice. Lightpaw's whiskers twitched. He brushed his muzzle against hers. "Meet me at the border tomorrow night then," he breathed in her ear. Lightpaw shivered, from cold or his closeness or the heat in his voice she wasn't sure. But she agreed, her mind thrumming with thoughts and emotions – she was scared and excited and angry and blissful at the same time.

"I'll do my best to slip away," was all she promised. After all, if she decided it wasn't right, she could tell Stripedpaw that Echosong had been watching her. Stripedpaw seemed to except it, and he padded away, back over the border before disappearing into the bushes beyond.

Lightpaw gathered the moss and trotted back to camp. It was easier to speak to cats as they came over to her – she had a long conversation with Patchfoot before he dipped his head and padded away. She felt more like a part of the Clan now that she and Stripedpaw planned on meeting. Her sister may have a mate, but she did too!

Echosong was grouchy when she came back with the moss because she had taken so long, but Lightpaw ignored her mentor. She could hardly bear the sight of the sick cats. She knew she wasn't doing her duty to them by seeing Stripedpaw – she should be concentrating on making them well. But she couldn't think about that now, when all she cared about was not being alone. Darkness fell.

That night, as Lightpaw slept, she dreamed. Braveheart came racing towards her, his ears pricked and his tail stuck out. "Heed my warning, Lightpaw," he hissed in her ear. "Medicine cats of SkyClan are not permitted to mate."

In the dream, Lightpaw gaped at Braveheart, her eyes narrowing. "What?! Echosong hasn't mentioned anything like that to me!"

"Echosong doesn't know of it!" Braveheart growled. "She was sensible and loyal – she had no need to be told not to take a mate. She knew – knows – her duty."

Lightpaw spat, her pelt bristling. This cat was calling into question her loyalty to her Clan! In the back of her mind, she knew he was right – she was wrong here. But she had no wish to be rational when her heart still throbbed from the meeting with Stripedpaw. She felt no respect for this interfering StarClan warrior now. "You tell me that, but instead of taking up my time with such things, you should be telling me how to save my Clanmates! Instead you waste my sleeping time with worthless warnings."

A heavy blow caught Lightpaw on her side. She twisted and landed on her paws, spitting defiance at the StarClan warrior. He was calm again, his eyes narrowing. "I was a warrior," he hissed. "Don't pretend to think you can ever beat me. Lightpaw, you have the potential to be a great medicine cat, but only if you follow the path StarClan has laid down for you."

"And I'm sick of StarClan controlling me," Lightpaw hissed. She knew her behavior was irrational, but she felt this annoying tom had driven her to it. "I can follow my own path and still have a mate. Now leave me alone!"

Lightpaw clenched her eyes shut, and Braveheart disappeared. She awoke, feeling a drippy wetness on her face. She blinked blearily and swiped her paw over her muzzle. Much to her surprise, when she drew it away, it was sticky with blood.

Lightpaw felt cold fear course through her even as she began plastering cobwebs on her muzzle. Intentionally or not, Braveheart had wounded her. He was truly furious with her for deciding to see Stripedpaw. _What if my ancestors turn their backs on me?_ Lightpaw wondered as she finished applying the cobwebs. Another, more terrible thought ran through her mind, despite her best efforts to banish it. _Do I really care?_

**A/N: So sorry it took me so long to update guys, but my birthday is this Saturday, and I've been immersed in the planning details. When you REVIEW, wish me happy birthday and I'll post another chapter tomorrow.**


	5. Chapter 5

Darkfur and Swiftwind were just coming in from a poor hunting expedition as Lightpaw had these thoughts. Between them, they had caught one old squirrel. Leafstar's tail dropped when she saw the meager catch. "Is that all?" she asked. Her voice was harsh with disbelief.

Darkfur spat the hairy squirrel onto the small fresh-kill pile. The only other offerings were a mouse and an aged blackbird that would soon be crowfood. "That's all we could find," Darkfur meowed, forlorn and disgusted with herself. She had only barely managed to catch the squirrel by the tip of its tail. The bitter leafbare days were slowly taking their toll on SkyClan. Two warriors were sick, leaving the patrols lacking, and Sagefrost was permanently injured. The warriors were exhausted, and Patchfoot had been streaming on the dawn patrol. Darkfur feared that he would become sick next.

"We'll go out again," Swiftwind promised. "We'll find something." Darkfur could tell he didn't believe his own words. Prey was scarce, and what the warriors did manage to catch was thin and scrawny, barely enough for Cherrytail's kits, let alone Blueshadow's rapidly growing litter and the rest of the Clan.

"No, don't," Leafstar meowed. "Both of you were on the dawn patrol, and then out hunting. I wanted to speak to you about something, so come to my den. Then both of you will rest."

Taking it as an order, despite Leafstar's friendly tone, Darkfur nodded. They went to Leafstar's den, and the old leader settled painfully on her haunches. Darkfur knew that the elderly she-cat's bones ached in the biting cold.

"We're short warriors," Leafstar began. "We can't afford to bring more cats from Twolegplace, or rogues, because it means more mouths to feed. Luckily, Cherrytail's kits are ready to be apprenticed."

"They're not yet six moons," Darkfur pointed out.

"True, but they are close enough. Only another quarter moon, and they would be of age. However, the Clan cannot possibly wait that long. Badgerpaw is the only other apprentice, and I need him desperately to be a warrior _now._ He has been in training long enough, and Petalnose says he is ready. Therefore, I have decided to give you, Swiftwind, Sunkit as your apprentice. Darkfur, you may take Brownkit as your apprentice. After his naming ceremony, Badgerpaw will take Dovekit, and Bouncefoot will take Silverkit."

Darkfur barely heard the last part. Finally, she would be a mentor! She exchanged a glance with Swiftwind, who looked just as thrilled. "Thank you, Leafstar!" Darkfur burst out, realizing that Swiftwind was too overwhelmed to speak.

Leafstar purred. "You have proved yourselves worthy warriors. I will inform Badgerpaw of his naming ceremony this evening, and Bouncefoot of his new apprentice. Now both you of rest."

Darkfur and Swiftwind dipped their heads and scurried out of the den. Once in the clearing, Darkfur lifted her head and let out a triumphant yowl. Swiftwind echoed her and they tussled, acting like apprentices themselves.

"I don't believe it!" Darkfur meowed, bouncing around her friend.

Swiftwind purred. "Me, neither. Come on, let's sleep before the ceremony." Cherrytail's kits came racing out of the nursery at that, their fur fluffing out.

"What ceremony?" Brownkit demanded to know. Darkfur purred and walked away, Swiftwind beside her. If no one had told the kits of their apprentice ceremony yet, then she wasn't going to spoil the surprise!

Darkfur slept for a short while before prodding Swiftwind in the side. He jumped up, fully awake for once, and both bounded into the clearing. Few cats had yet assembled, it still being fairly early. However, Cherrytail was there, and much to their surprise so was Sharpclaw. His eyes and nose were running, and his voice rasped, but his eyes shone with pride as his kits bounced around him. Cherrytail would lean over and murmur anxiously to him, but Sharpclaw would answer in a reassuring voice and Cherrytail would nod. The family nodded to Darkfur and Swiftwind, who waved their tails in greeting.

Slowly, as the clearing was plunged into twilight, more cats arrived. Rockfang, supporting Mintcloud on his shoulder, came over slowly from the medicine cats' den. Her mother did not look much better, but Darkfur felt a thrill of pride that her mother would be with her when she received her first apprentice. Lightpaw and Echosong appeared. Darkfur was surprised that Lightpaw's muzzle was swathed in cobwebs. She wanted to go ask her sister what in StarClan's name had happened, but she had to stay in place. Patchfoot, Clovertail, and Sparrowpelt appeared from hunting, showing a bit more success then Darkfur and Swiftwind had had that morning. Slowly, the Clan congregated and sat at the base of the Rockpile.

Leafstar emerged from her den, bounding her way nimbly up the rocks. Her coat shone in the dying sun as Badgerpaw and his mentor Petalnose approached. Swiftwind touched his brother's flank as he passed in congratulations.

"We are here to name a new warrior!" Leafstar announced to the Clan. Blueshadow's kits squeaked in excitement, but a hiss from their father silenced them. "Petalnose, has your apprentice learned the ways of the warrior well?"

Petalnose dipped her head in affirmation. "He has been a good apprentice, and he will be a great warrior."

Leafstar turned her gaze to the sky. Their ancestors' spirits shone there, and a three-quarter moon rising in the sky washed their coats to silver. "I, Leafstar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Badgerpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Badgerpaw's reply was unyielding and sure, his eyes shining as he gazed into the stars. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Badgerpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Badgerclaw. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan."

Swiftwind stepped forward first, nosing his brother in delight, yowling, "Badgerclaw, Badgerclaw!" The rest of the Clan joined in. Leafstar waited for the yowling to subside, her eyes glowing with the strength of knowing.

"Tonight," Leafstar continued once the Clan had finished welcoming the new warrior, "Badgerclaw will sit his vigil. But first, I wish to name four Clan kits."

The Clan murmured approval as Silverkit, Brownkit, Sunkit, and Dovekit stepped forward, Sharpclaw and Cherrytail twining their tails together in celebration behind them. Darkfur felt herself quiver with barely contained excitement. Then she scolded herself. Was she a kit, or an about-to-be-mentor?

"Until they have earned their warrior names," Leafstar meowed, her tail high in the air, "these kits will be known as Silverpaw, Brownpaw, Sunpaw, and Dovepaw. Bouncefoot," Leafstar continued, "will be mentor to Silverpaw. Bouncefoot, you are an able warrior and a good friend. Please pass on all that you know to young Silverpaw."

Bouncefoot dipped his head and touched noses with his apprentice. "Darkfur," Leafstar carried on, "will mentor Brownpaw." Darkfur felt pride well up inside of her as she stepped forward to touch noses with her new apprentice. Brownpaw gazed at her with delight, his brown tabby fur bristling with excitement. _I'm a mentor!_ Darkfur thought to herself with amazement. She was only vaguely aware of Swiftwind, and then Badgerclaw, being named mentors themselves.

The Clan congratulated the new apprentices, their voices raised in a yowl. Cherrytail and Sharpclaw were among the first, cheering their kits. After Brownpaw had been fawned over for a bit, Darkfur led him away, uncertain how to begin her mentorship with the young tom. Then, Darkfur spotted her old mentor, Tinyfern, watching her with narrowed eyes. Darkfur felt warmth spread from her ears to her tail tips. Tinyfern had mentored her well, and she had started with…

"Tomorrow we'll take a tour of the territory," Darkfur announced to her eager apprentice. Brownpaw's eyes lit up, and Darkfur flicked her tail. "Go settle in your den. And be up at dawn tomorrow. Or I'll drag you out by your tail," Darkfur teased, narrowing her eyes at Brownpaw.

He nodded vigorously and bounced across the clearing, climbing the rocks to meet his brother and sister as they entered the apprentice den.

"Very threatening," a voice meowed behind her. Darkfur purred as she turned to greet Swiftwind.

"Want to take them out together tomorrow?" Darkfur asked eagerly, sounding like her new apprentice for a moment.

Swiftwind purred. "Sure. It should be interesting; Sunpaw is so much more stoic then his brother. Maybe they'll balance each other out nicely."

"Like us," Darkfur meowed, only half-teasing. Swiftwind nodded, and they went to their dens, greeting Badgerclaw as they passed him. He waved his tail in acknowledgment, but did not speak, his black-and-white head raised to the stars.

"Hutch will be pleased when he finds that Badgerclaw is a warrior," Darkfur commented as she spiraled down into her nest. Swiftwind curled up beside her, covering her face with gentle licks. Slowly, the two cats groomed each other clean. Darkfur slowly fell asleep under her Clanmate's rasping tongue. She did not dream, enjoying a deep sleep for once. A single birdsong awoke her in the morning, a lone robin crying out in defiance of the cold. Darkfur admired her spirit as she nudged Swiftwind awake.

"Just until sunrise," he growled, trying to roll over and go back to sleep.

"Come on," Darkfur meowed impatiently. "Sunpaw is waiting for you."

Swiftwind got up reluctantly and followed Darkfur into the clearing. She was pleased to see both of their apprentices waiting at the entrance of the camp, their kit-soft fur fluffed out against the bitter cold.

"Good morning," Darkfur meowed. She glanced at the fresh-kill pile, wondering if they should eat, but there was only a small squirrel on it. _We can eat while we're out, I guess,_ Darkfur decided.

"Are Dovepaw and Silverpaw out yet?" Swiftwind asked, trying to keep his jaws from parting in a huge yawn.

"Not yet!" Brownpaw meowed eagerly. "Can we go, before the _do_ get out before us?"

Darkfur nodded, and she and Swiftwind turned to lead the way out of camp. Brownpaw and Sunpaw followed obediently behind, but Darkfur felt her apprentice quivering behind her. _Very little,_ she decided, _would have to be done for him to race headlong out of the gorge._

A cooling spot near the camp entrance was where Badgerclaw had sat the night before. Darkfur felt sorry for him – vigil last night, and an energetic new apprentice to train today.

"So," Swiftwind meowed, settling onto his haunches when they were far enough away from camp. "Do you know what that is, right up there?"

The two apprentices looked, squinting against the rising sun. "A big rock," Sunpaw announced after a while.

"No!" Brownpaw meowed, nudging his brother nearly off of his paws. "That's the Skyrock that mother told us about! Right, Darkfur?"

Darkfur felt a purr rise in her throat. "Yes, that's the Skyrock. We hold Gatherings there every full moon." _But not recently,_ she reflected sadly. She had actually never been to a starlit Gathering – events since she was named an apprentice had prevented it. She had journeyed to the Skyrock with Leafstar once, so her leader could share dreams with StarClan, but that had been all. SkyClan did not hold to the importance of Gatherings as the other Clans did. It was a chance for Clanmates to meet and discuss things, but in the forest the Clans used Gatherings to quell old rivalries for one night and come together in peace. SkyClan had no such rivals – none, anyway, that believed in StarClan. Darkfur and Swiftwind exchanged a glance – the apprentices had learned all that they would about this place.

Darkfur and Swiftwind reared, spinning on their haunches suddenly, and dashed away, leaving the two stunned apprentices to follow behind. The move was perfectly rehearsed – not for nothing had the two cats spent all those moons in training together.

Darkfur felt sheer joy as her muscles bunched and stretched, and her lungs opened wide to allow air through. She heard Brownpaw and Sunpaw panting behind. She remembered how hard it had been to keep up with Tinyfern on her first day of training, her muscles kitten-soft.

Finally, they came to a halt at the rats' nest. The apprentices' eyes widened at the destruction, and their noses wrinkled at the scent.

"That's the rat nest," Swiftwind growled. "Learn the smell, if only because we must stay clear of those rats."

"SkyClan fought them many seasons ago, before my birth, when Leafstar was still young," Darkfur added. Then, with a glance at Swiftwind, she meowed, "It seems as though the rats aren't gone, if the scent is this strong."

"Yes," Swiftwind agreed with a small sigh. "Ah, for some peace. We'll have to report this to Leafstar. Patrols should start coming up here again."

"Can _we_ be on a patrol?" Brownpaw demanded to know. Darkfur purred, swatting lightly at her apprentice.

"In time. Soon you'll learn to appreciate your nest in the mornings, instead of being on patrol." But she didn't really mean her own words. Her apprentice days were over, but Darkfur still got a certain thrill going on patrol, racing through the woods at her Clanmate's sides, fighting to protect them from danger. Caught up in the swirl and ferocity, Darkfur leapt away, barreling towards the copse of woods, Swiftwind at her heels. The apprentices squealed in surprise and bolted after them again. Much to Darkfur's surprise, Brownpaw managed to put on a burst of speed that rivaled Swiftwind's. The two brown toms raced across the open ground until Brownpaw fell behind, panting with exhaustion but with a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

Darkfur left Sunpaw behind and pounced on her apprentice. He squeaked and tried to pummel her with his hind paws, but she held firm. "You need a bit of battle practice before you can keep up with us," Darkfur purred, letting her apprentice up.

Brownpaw looked indignant, but the look faded at the mention of battle training. "Can we train now?" he asked, his fur beginning to fluff up with excitement. "_Please,_ Darkfur."

Darkfur purred. "No, apprentices have to learn to hunt first. Come on." She and Swiftwind led the new apprentices to an open field, not too far from the rats' nest, but far enough away that the inexperienced young toms would not fight their first rat too young.

Darkfur was just crouching to demonstrate the best mouse-hunting technique when Swiftwind hissed in shock, and Darkfur realized that the apprentices weren't watching her. She sat up, ready to scold them, when she saw what they were all staring at. Darkfur had to gape in shock.

Strutting towards them was a fluffy white bird, with long talons and a small nose. It was not much smaller then a pheasant, which were rarely seen, but was the wrong color.

"What _is_ that, Darkfur?" Brownpaw asked in wonder. Though she hated to admit to her new apprentice that she didn't know what the odd bird was, in reality she _didn't_ know.

"It's some sort of white bird," Swiftwind meowed. "I wonder if we can eat it? The Clan's short prey right now, and this dumb bird is strutting up to us like _it's _the hunter."

Darkfur exchanged a glance with her friend, and pumped her legs, sending her careening after the bird. Hunger made her slower then usual, but Swiftwind had already headed ahead of her when the bird squawked and tried to run. Swiftwind killed it with a rapid bite to the neck.

Darkfur ran over to Swiftwind and nuzzled him in congratulations. He purred. "Great catch, Swiftwind!" Sunpaw panted, darting forward. He sniffed the dead bird. "Do you think it's really okay to eat?"

"I'm not sure," Swiftwind admitted. "I would hate to try it out on Thymekit, Elmkit, and Olivekit and watch them fall ill." Darkfur knew he had a point. She was about to offer trying a piece, despite her reluctance to eat when they should be hunting, but before she could, Brownpaw darted in and grabbed a quick nip.

He spat out white feathers and chewed experimentally before swallowing. His eyes glowed. "It's good!" he announced. "A little strange, but fat."

Swiftwind and Darkfur exchanged glances before shrugging and picking up the bird. "Come on," Swiftwind grunted. "Let's take this back to camp, and we'll take you hunting near Skywatcher's old den instead."

The two apprentices obediently obeyed, and they emerged into camp a short while later. "Leafstar!" Brownpaw yowled, bouncing around the catch as though he himself had caught it. Leafstar appeared from her den, stretching quickly before bounding over. Other cats followed her.

"What's wrong?" Leafstar demanded to know. Darkfur felt a thrill at the wariness in her leader's eyes. Perhaps she thought they were under attack again.

"Nothing,' Brownpaw meowed impatiently. "Look what Swiftwind and Darkfur caught!" Leafstar turned her attentive gaze to the white bird lying at their paws.

"Isn't it huge?" Brownpaw asked in wonder. Darkfur felt herself flush, and decided that one of the first things she taught her apprentice would be respect.

"It certainly is big," Leafstar meowed in amazement, sitting down beside the bird. "What is it though?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Darkfur answered, as Leafstar was staring at her. "Brownpaw tried a bit and said that it tasted good, so we brought it back for Blueshadow's kits."

Leafstar flicked her tail. "It should be safe to eat. Sunpaw, will you take it to the nursery?" Darkfur noticed Leafstar's uneasiness. If she was wrong, and something was wrong with the white bird, then the kits, at least, were as good as dead. Restlessly, Darkfur paced, but Silverpaw, coming up behind them with Bouncefoot, squeaked in surprise. "A chicken!" she meowed in disbelief. The warriors spun around to look at her.

"What is a chicken?" Badgerclaw asked, rolling the strange word on his tongue. Darkfur was just as confused. Was a chicken the white bird?

"A chicken," Silverpaw repeated. "It's the white bird. Twolegs grow it, and they eat them. My father caught one once; it was delicious."

"It is safe to eat then?" Patchfoot demanded to know, casting wary glances at this chicken.

"Oh yes," Silverpaw assured him. "At least, I never came to any harm eating them, and I was just as small as Blueshadow's kits when I first tried mine."

"Good," Leafstar meowed, relief evident in her voice. "Thank you, Silverpaw." Silverpaw dipped her head and padded to the apprentices' den.

Darkfur hurried over to her own apprentice, playing with Blueshadow's kits, who were bouncing around the chicken.

"Look!" Tiny little Thymekit squeaked, dabbling at the chicken. "It looks funny!" His sister, Olivekit, squealed as a feather fluttered in the breeze. Elmkit nudged the chicken before taking a tentative bite. Cherrytail helped herself as well, and slowly Thymekit and Olivekit joined her.

"Come on, Brownpaw," Darkfur commanded. "You have to hunt some today." Darkfur glanced around, but couldn't find Swiftwind. "That lazy hedgehog, I bet he went to sleep."

Signaling for her apprentice to stay, Darkfur bounded up to the warriors' den and poked her head inside. Much to her surprise, Swiftwind wasn't there.

"_Now_ where is he?" Darkfur demanded to know. She stalked away from the warriors' den, intending to go look for her friend elsewhere, when a soft mew stopped her.

"Darkfur!" Recognizing Swiftwind's voice, Darkfur bounded up to meet him. She was about to ask him where he had been, when she noticed the anxiety and confusion coming off of Swiftwind in waves.

"What's wrong?"

Swiftwind's eyes widened, and Darkfur felt fear strike her heart. "It's Lightpaw!" Swiftwind wheezed. "She's meeting with Stripedpaw on our territory!" 

*

Darkfur was gasping for breath as she tried to keep up with Swiftwind. He was far ahead of her, his tail stuck straight out behind him. Her mind buzzed with the implications of her sister – her beloved sister – meeting with an enemy on SkyClan territory.

Swiftwind suddenly disappeared behind a bush. Darkfur skirted it and came to the border of SkyClan and EarthClan. Her sister was not around, and neither was Stripedpaw, but Darkfur's hopes that Swiftwind had been mistaken were quickly dashed – the two medicine cats' scent hung in the air, and a small piece of gray fur confirmed that Lightpaw and Stripedpaw had indeed been there.

"They've come here often," Swiftwind growled, scenting the air. He pawed a pile of bones out from underneath a holly bush. "Bones. One of them has been hunting."

"It must have been Stripedpaw," Darkfur meowed, her heart sinking. "Lightpaw barely knows how to hunt."

Swiftwind nodded and continued his search. Darkfur sat down and felt as though the world was coming down around her ears. How could her sister even _consider_ taking a mate from a rival Clan? It went against everything in the warrior code – _even,_ Darkfur thought dryly, _if Lightpaw didn't exactly follow the same code as warriors. _She was about to demand to Swiftwind that they return to camp when rustling behind her signaled her sister's return.

Lightpaw froze when she saw the two warriors, one of whom was her sister, standing in the spot where she had been meeting an enemy.

Darkfur felt pity well up when she saw her sister's gaze dart around, as though looking for a good escape route. Seeing none, she settled back, her head hanging. Darkfur had never seen her sister so defeated.

"Go on, say it," Lightpaw growled. "Tell me I was irresponsible, that I forsook my duties, that Stripedpaw is my enemy. I've been hearing StarClan tell me for days."

Darkfur _wanted_ to say those things to her sister – she _wanted_ to tell her sister how mouse-brained and foolish she had been. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her sister looked so overpowered and crushed.

Swiftwind, however, had no such inhibitions. "You idiot!" he hissed. "You put the entire Clan in danger. You should be healing our Clanmates, not acting like a moon-struck rabbit around an enemy warrior!"

Darkfur recoiled, shocked by Swiftwind's harsh tone. She was about to rebuke him when her sister stalked up to the brown tom, her legs stiff. "You think I've done everything wrong too?" she snarled, her teeth bared. "You think it has been _easy_, trying to care for my Clanmates and meet with Stripedpaw? But I've done my best. And my best," she added loftily, "is good. None of the cats have died, and I'm happier then I've been in a long time."

Despite her deep relief that Lightpaw seemed happy with Stripedpaw, Darkfur could not hazard one comment of her own. "Mother might be better by now, if you stopped seeing Stripedpaw."

Darkfur winced and wished she could withdraw her comment as her sister turned on her with a furious yowl. "That's right, side with Swiftwind, I knew you would! Traitor!"

"No, Lightpaw, that's not it!" Darkfur meowed desperately. Her sister turned and barreled back to camp. Darkfur turned on Swiftwind, unable to contain her anger and fear.

"Why did you say that?" she demanded.

"I was – " Swiftwind began, but Darkfur cut him off.

"Don't ever insult my sister like that again," she snarled. "This is a family issue."

Swiftwind's eyes flashed. "And I'm not good enough to become family, I guess," he spat. "I'm still just a kittypet. I get it," Swiftwind meowed bitterly, when Darkfur opened her mouth to protest. "Leave me alone, Darkfur."

Swiftwind padded away, leaving Darkfur alone. Distraught, emotionally and physically drained, and terrified of what may come, she curled up to go to sleep – alone, in the forest, near the enemy border.

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update guys! I've been having a busy, exhausting week, and I'd tell you about it, but that would take forever. Please enjoy, and review!**


	6. Chapter 6

It was sunrise when Darkfur awoke – surrounded by strange cats. She howled and jumped to her paws as more cats flooded her sleeping place. Every one of them was EarthClan.

"So, here's the spy!" Jadetail sneered. She sat closest to Darkfur, her claws unsheathed, Ravencall at her side.

"It certainly seems so, Jadetail," a gray tom agreed. His fur bristled and his teeth were bared. Darkfur spat at him, remembering his name for the first time. It was Wolfclaw, the tom who had been so in love with the ginger deputy. He sounded like a mentor praising his student, and Jadetail glowed.

But the cat that caught Darkfur's attention and made her fur stand on edge was a sandy-colored tom that sat to Darkfur's left. His blue eyes flashed with rage at the SkyClan warrior, but there was something else in his gaze – a leveling calmness and serenity and understanding. Darkfur knew that this cat was just as important as Leafstar, and perhaps even wiser. Still, she did not bow her head, or tremble in fear as she gazed at him. She wasn't a kit anymore, for StarClan's sake!

"Greetings," she meowed to the sandy-colored tom coolly. Jadetail spat, and an angry caterwaul went up from a silver she-cat, but the tom's eyes were unruffled.

"Greetings, young one called Darkfur, warrior of SkyClan. What are you doing on my territory?"

"Sleeping," Darkfur meowed. "Obviously, your scent marks aren't strong enough on this border."

"Or you crossed them without caring, mousedung!" Gingerpelt howled, shouldering her way through the crowd. "What's the matter? Your own Clan so unbalanced that you wanted to _join_ us?"

Darkfur snarled and unsheathed her claws, ready to throw herself at the she-cat, but before she could the sandy-furred tom broke through.

"Enough! Sheathe your claws, both of you. I won't have more blood spilt. Gingerpelt, leave the prisoner alone."

Darkfur felt her heart sink at that one word, even as she sheathed her claws. "Any chances of letting me go home?" she meowed tentatively. "I wouldn't have slept on your side of the border if I had known it was there."

"The border is clearly marked!" Wolfclaw yowled, but the tom silenced him.

"The scent markings are faint," the tom acknowledged. "I myself know this, and was on the dawn patrol to renew them. However, we have had evidence of SkyClan spies. I was hoping that you could…enlighten us."

Darkfur wanted to mewl in alarm like a tiny kit at that one statement. This tom might try to kill her to get the information he wanted. But as EarthClan moved in to surround her, she squared her shoulders. She would die before telling them that she and Swiftwind had spied on them.

But as the troop of cats moved off into the forest, Darkfur felt unimaginable pain rip through her stomach. If these cats killed her, or she couldn't manage to keep quiet, then she would never speak to Swiftwind again. Despite the bad terms they had parted on, Darkfur's heart beat fast at the thought of him racing through the forest to find her. He was the only one she trusted to get her safely home. But she knew it was an illusion – Swiftwind hadn't even known she was taken by EarthClan.

The EarthClan cats emerged into their camp, and it was only then that Darkfur realized the entire Clan _hadn't_ come to see her, sleeping on their territory.

A brown-and-white tom sprinted out of what Darkfur and Swiftwind had identified as the warriors' den. His eyes narrowed when he saw Darkfur, but he stayed back, allowing the troop to pace into the clearing. A light brown she-cat, whose name Darkfur remembered as Birdwing, poked her head out of the nursery and raced over, her small kits tumbling after her.

Darkfur took a moment to look around the clearing. She had to appreciate the soft earth underpaw, and the warm sun shimmering through the trees.

"Sandstar, who is this?" the brown-and-white tom demanded to know.

"Crowfood," Wolfclaw snarled as he shouldered his way through the crowd and disappeared into the warriors' den.

The brown-and-white tom was still watching his leader, having ignored Wolfclaw. "This is Darkfur, Nettlestorm," Sandstar meowed. "She is a SkyClan warrior and our temporary…guest."

Darkfur winced, but recovered quickly enough to meet Nettlestorm's shrewd gaze. Then he nodded, obviously willing to accept the prisoner. "I'll go set up a nest near Clawedrock, shall I?" he meowed carefully. He hurried over to the huge rock pile Darkfur had noticed on the other side of the camp.

"Birdwing, bring our kits to meet Darkfur," Sandstar commanded. Darkfur glanced at him in surprise. Why would he want to expose his kits to the enemy? But the EarthClan leader's eyes were narrowed astutely. There was another motive behind him allowing her to meet his kits, but Darkfur wasn't sure what it was. Birdwing looked at her mate anxiously, but crossed the clearing, calling to her kits. They hurried into the clearing, bundling after their mother and bumping into their father on the way to scramble to a halt beside Darkfur.

"These are my kits," Birdwing said stiffly. "Liverkit, Dirtkit, and Fishkit. Kits, say hello."

"Hi!" A little ginger tom, Liverkit, stood beside Darkfur, his nose quivering as he tried to take in her scent. "You smell yucky."

Darkfur curled her lip, but said nothing. Birdwing watched her suspiciously, ready to leap to the defense of her kits at the first sign of attack. Darkfur admired the bold queen, and dipped her head to honor her. The queen and her kits had done her no wrong, even if her mate had.

"Come, Darkfur," Nettlestorm meowed, returning from the great stack of rocks. "I have prepared your nest." Darkfur rolled her eyes, wishing she could do something other then lie down for the rest of the day, but decided to take Sandstar's warning glare to heart and follow Nettlestorm.

Darkfur curled up in her nest and Nettlestorm left, obviously thinking that she would sleep. But Darkfur kept her glowing blue eyes open, intent on learning her enemy's secrets while she was here.

The kits played with Birdwing while Sandstar rounded up another patrol, for hunting or border marking Darkfur couldn't tell. Only a few warriors were left in camp, among them a grizzled brown tabby tom who padded over to her. Darkfur narrowed her eyes, but allowed the tabby tom to approach her.

"I'm Volefoot," he meowed. "Former deputy of EarthClan."

Darkfur meowed a tentative greeting, but the tabby tom seemed uninterested. "So, what is your Clan like?" he asked. Darkfur was forced to smother a gasp at his blatant rudeness – and utter lack of tact.

She shot to her paws, her fur bridging along her spine. "As though I'd share my Clan's secrets with you, you brute!" she yowled. Birdwing looked over at her in terror, and Darkfur felt satisfaction pulse through her as the tabby tom hurried away and helped Birdwing take the kits to the nursery.

_Serves them right,_ Darkfur thought savagely. She flipped over and closed her eyes, wishing there was more sun to warm her dark fur in the cold of leafbare.

Time ceased to have meaning; Darkfur felt cats pass her, heard when the patrol returned, and was aware when Birdwing began settling the kits down for the night. No cat brought her food, and if she had been offered some she would have refused. Darkfur wasn't sure if the refusal would come from personal pride, or the fact that she could smell the starvation in the camp. These cats weren't sick, but certainly they were starving from lack of food.

Night fell, but with it Darkfur lost any hope she had of sneaking out of the camp in the cover darkness would provide her, for Nettlestorm was sent to guard her. She hissed in silent annoyance as he took up his place beside her before slipping back into a doze. The arrival of morning brought no cheer, as the skies were overcast. Darkfur wondered if her Clan had noticed her missing. She sincerely hoped no cat had told her ailing mother; she would be frantic with worry.

The sunhigh patrol had just left and Darkfur had opened her eyes just into slits, trying to see the best way out of camp, when she noticed a form slinking towards her. Almost immediately, she recognized Stripedpaw. She bared her teeth at him as he approached, though he showed no fear. He was the cause for all of this mess!

"Come on," he hissed when he neared her. Darkfur looked at him quizzically. "I'm going to get you out of here," he meowed in exasperation. Darkfur was instantly suspicious.

"Why would you help _me?_" she demanded to know.

"Because you're Lightpaw's sister. Some of your Clanmates have been searching the border for you for days. That tabby tom, Swiftwind, he's beside himself, and Lightpaw's going to get sick if she keeps worrying." Darkfur felt a pang at the mention of her best friend and her sister. Their argument, to her, was as dust in the wind. She only wanted to go home and see them.

Darkfur stood, willing to trust this EarthClan cat for the time being. He nodded to her and they slipped quietly through an opening that looked as though it had been dug through the camp's defensive walls. "I'm going to shore it up later, so don't get any ideas," Stripedpaw warned. Darkfur just nodded, unwilling to memorize anything that could hurt this Clan – they were suffering just as much as her own Clan and she had to admit that Leafstar would have held any EarthClan cat on their territory – she had done so before.

The birdsong and small scuffling of prey made Darkfur's mouth water. She felt as though she hadn't eaten in moons. But Stripedpaw's cricked tail showed her that the attentive apprentice was watching, and would not forgive a theft on his territory.

Finally, they reached the border. To Darkfur's surprise, Stripedpaw brushed muzzles with her as she turned to go. She drew back quickly, unsure what to make of it, until she saw Stripedpaw's eyes sparkling with kindness.

"Be good to your sister. Even if she's doing wrong right now, or _you_ think she is, she has it tough in your Clan, and she'll have it tougher by the time your ancestors call her."

"What do you mean by that?" Darkfur demanded, pulling even further away from Stripedpaw. "Lightpaw is happy in the Clan!"

"I know you think she is, and for the most part she is content…but there have been times when she's complained to me."

"About what?" Darkfur asked, stung that her sister had gone to this EarthClan cat before coming to her.

"I promised Lightpaw that I wouldn't say. It doesn't endanger you or your Clan, I can promise you that much."

"What about my _sister?_ Darkfur demanded. "Does it endanger her?"

She watched as Stripedpaw's eyes glittered disconcertingly. "Not in the way that you would think," he offered after a while. Before Darkfur could pry more, he turned and slipped into the undergrowth, heading back to his own territory.

Darkfur gazed after him for a short while, dumbfounded, but yowling brought her back to the present. Swiftwind was racing towards her, his eyes wide as the sight of her.

The tabby tom halted just a rabbit length away from the black she-cat. For a long moment, blue eyes locked with amber. Then Darkfur felt her legs buckle and she fell, unable to keep herself standing after the crushing stress of the past few days.

Swiftwind hurried to her side, and she felt his tongue rasping comfortingly over her fur. "I'm sorry, Darkfur," he murmured.

Darkfur sighed. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to leave; I love you, Swiftwind." The tabby warrior's eyes widened and he settled beside her, purring hoarsely.

"I love you too, Darkfur; with all my heart." Together, the two cats slept long into the night, not caring to get back to their Clan just then, but more content to share each other's company.

In the morning, though Darkfur wanted to stay at Swiftwind's side, she knew that they had to get back to camp. Nudging him, they dashed through the forest, away from the EarthClan border.

Eventually the two cats slowed, and Darkfur began to remember her Clan again. Reluctantly, she asked, "How's the Clan doing?" She was almost afraid of the answer. SkyClan was already short warriors, and she was expected to train Brownpaw now. Instead she had been captured by enemy warriors over a love spat between her sister and Swiftwind.

Swiftwind looked away for a moment, as though unwilling to spoil her good mood. "It's doing badly. Brownpaw and Sunpaw haven't had any training since you went missing, and now Patchfoot and Sparrowpelt have fallen ill too. There aren't enough of us to keep going through each day."

Darkfur felt stricken, though she tried to hide it. Could this have possibly been her fault? Like a little apprentice caught in a misstep, she mewed in a tiny voice, "Is Leafstar mad at me?"

Swiftwind glanced at her, his eyes soft. "I'm not going to lessen the truth. She was pretty mad. But she's been wheezing and coughing lately too; Echosong is making her stay in her nest."

Darkfur looked away as they entered camp, not wanting to meet her Clanmates' gazes. But many seemed only curious about where she had been. Swiftwind led her to Leafstar's den, away from the questing eyes.

"Don't they know?" Darkfur asked.

"No. I didn't tell them anything, and neither did Lightpaw. The only cat we told was Leafstar – and we only told her part of the story."

Darkfur felt immense gratitude when she realized that Swiftwind had left out Lightpaw's involvement with Stripedpaw. Hopefully, she could sort it out herself and none of the Clan ever had to know.

Leafstar snapped a command to enter when the two young warriors reached her nest, only to break off in a rasping cough. Darkfur entered, feeling her heart sink when she saw Leafstar lying in her nest, her eyes streaming and her chest heaving.

"Darkfur's back?" she croaked. "I hope you learned better then sleeping on enemy territory! When will you learn not to trespass?"

Darkfur felt stung, but she met her leader's gaze steadily. "I'm sorry."

"The markers are hard to smell," Swiftwind said loyally. "I think I may have crossed the border more then once in the past moon."

Leafstar bared her teeth at him, but then slumped back, as though lacking the strength. "Away with both of you. I would punish you, Darkfur, but too many warriors are sick for me to do so. Not only that, but Brownpaw must be trained quickly. But if you do it again, I won't let you off so lightly."

Leafstar's hard glare left Darkfur in little doubt that she was not lying. Despite the fact that the old leader was lying incapacitated in her nest, she felt mounting respect for the old she-cat. Darkfur doubted that she could do what Leafstar had done throughout her long life.

So Darkfur bowed her head and retreated quickly from the den. "We can do what needs to be done in a minute," Darkfur said when she spotted Swiftwind heading over to the apprentice den. "But first I want to check on Mintcloud."

"Wait, Darkfur!" Swiftwind exclaimed. Darkfur ignored her friend and pushed her way into the medicine cat den. Lightpaw sat over their mother, her eyes sunken and hollow. She said nothing about their quarrel, but brushed up against Darkfur.

"Oh, Darkfur," Lightpaw whispered. "I don't know what to do. She's dying." The world spun around Darkfur, and she felt as though she was going to be sick. In trepidation, she looked upon her mother, who had loved and cared for her forever.

Mintcloud's sides heaved with each struggling breath. As Darkfur watched in horror, her sides heaved in a soundless cough, and she retched blood onto her nest of moss.

Darkfur backed away slowly, swinging her head from side to side. "Great StarClan, what horror is this?" she whispered as she watched her beloved mother fight for breath.

"Her throat is torn from trying to cough so much. Her breathing is harsh and heavy, full of mucus. There's nothing I can do. I tried yarrow to make her sick, hoping she would throw up some of the mucus, but it only made it worse." Lightpaw's head hung in defeat. "I have to get Rockfang."

Darkfur collapsed by her mother's nest, her legs unable to support her. For the second time, she felt utterly worthless. She couldn't protect her Clan from this sickness, and neither, apparently, could her sister.

Mintcloud raised her head feebly. Darkfur lurched forward and put her ear close to her mother's mouth, hoping once more to hear her sweet, melodic voice. But when it came, her tone was harsh and grating, reduced to nothing by the debilitating coughing.

"My love," Mintcloud rasped. "Oh, I have striven so hard to protect you. Yet here is the one thing that hurts the most, that I wanted to shield you from the most – the loss of someone you love."

"Stay," begged Darkfur. "Fight." Her heart wrenched when her mother heaved again. It wasn't right, to ask her to remain in the gorge when she was in so much pain. But this was where she belonged!

"I can't – not anymore. StarClan are calling me. I hear my father even now. If only I could stay alive for a few more moons…and see what StarClan has destined you to be, my love. Rainfur tells me of it even now. But…but I can't. My time is here." Mintcloud settled back in her nest. Her voice slightly stronger, she murmured, "Tell your father and sister that I love them. I'll always watch over you."

Just as Lightpaw and Rockfang sprinted into the den, Mintcloud's head fell back and her eyes closed forever. Her flanks stopped heaving, and the gurgling from her chest no longer came forth.

Unable to cope, Darkfur backed away from her mother's nest as her father pressed against her. Her sister sat hunched miserably at her mother's side, her eyes clenched tightly shut. Darkfur couldn't stand it – there was no way her mother, her protector, was gone forever.

Darkfur threw back her head, powerless to contain her misery, and let out a chilling wail. Lightpaw echoed her, their grief writhing in the air above the medicine cat's nest. _Why, StarClan? Why her!_

Darkfur threw herself into the clearing, half-blinded by her anguish. She barreled past Swiftwind, shoving him aside and pushing away his comforting presence. She ignored the whisperings of StarClan in her head telling her that her mother was already safe with them. Settling in her nest in the warrior's den, she gave way to her torment. No warriors entered the den – all had enough sense to leave her alone.

StarClan came to her as she slept – Cloudstar, Rainfur, Skywatcher, and a new-comer that was not her mother – Hutch.

Despite her sorrow, she couldn't help being surprised to see the old tabby who was old no longer. He was wreathed in a halo of starlight, and he looked incredibly young again.

"StarClan accepted me to their ranks two days ago," Hutch said quietly. "I am no warrior, but they honor a warrior's spirit. Now I can watch over Clovertail and her kits forever."

"Your mother doesn't want you to grieve, Darkfur," Cloudstar meowed, his voice gentle. "She is saddened that you are so upset by her passing, especially when she is safe in StarClan's paws."

"Then why didn't you bring me to see her?" Darkfur demanded to know. "Surely you understand that she is the one I want to see the most?"

"Yes. But Mintcloud is busy preparing for her next life as a StarClan warrior. She can not yet come to meet you."

"Then this meeting is pointless," Darkfur hissed, her temper flaring. "Let me go to sleep, right now." And much to her surprise, the StarClan warriors did leave her, allowing her to slip back into a tortured sleep, filled with images of her mother's final, excruciating moments.

*

Lightpaw felt as though she was sinking into a world of dreams as she sat staring at her mother's corpse. She looked like a hollow-out shell, weak and battered after her long fight with the sickness. _Great StarClan, keep her safe._ But Lightpaw felt a flicker of doubt in her belly. StarClan had not spoken to her since the nasty confrontation with Braveheart. Could it be that her ancestors had really deserted her?

Lightpaw knew she had a duty now, and knew she couldn't sit around wondering about her warrior ancestors. They would or wouldn't reveal themselves eventually, and only time would tell. Her heart heavy, Lightpaw grabbed her mother's scruff and heaved her into the clearing, helped by her father. Lightpaw arranged her mother out as though she were asleep and curled next to her. In the moon or so since she had become sick, Mintcloud had grown incredibly skinny, and Lightpaw was now bigger then her mother. She curled around the cooling body and sheltered Mintcloud's body, like a mother would her kit. _And so one generation passes,_ Lightpaw mused. _It wasn't so long ago that I was nestled in your belly fur, Mother._

Rockfang pushed his paws out towards his mate. His grieving was more dignified then either of his daughters' had been, but when Lightpaw met his eyes, she had to look away. His yellow depths were pooled with such grief, anger, and sadness that she couldn't bear it. Under his breath, he was praying for the protection of his life-long mate.

As the stars soared into the sky, Leafstar came and sat vigil for a short while, before being ordered back to her nest. Sagefrost came, supported on Petalnose's shoulder. As Petalnose settled beside her, Lightpaw felt her heart wrench for her miserable grandmother. Lightpaw had lost a mother, and Petalnose had lost one of her beloved kits.

Eventually Darkfur reemerged from the warrior's den, followed by Swiftwind. For once, Lightpaw was grateful to see the tabby tom. Her sister looked slightly calmer then before, though she trusted Swiftwind to guide her over to her mother. Swiftwind shared tongues with Mintcloud, before he went and laid down next to Darkfur, keeping her warm on the chilly night.

The camp was silent as their vigil continued for the much-loved she-cat. Rockfang was just switching from praying to StarClan to grooming his dead mate's fur when Lightpaw irresistibly slipped into sleep.

Braveheart was waiting for her. "Do you see now what the consequences of your actions have caused you?" he asked quietly.

"Now that my mother's gone, I assume you're going to ask me to give up Stripedpaw too," Lightpaw said dully. She was in no mood to argue with this cat.

"No," he meowed heavily, surprising her. "Echosong is nearing the end of her life. Though it will not come immediately, it will come soon enough that she has not the time to train a new apprentice. It seems as though StarClan is stuck with you."

Stung, Lightpaw dropped her gaze, but did not repent. This cat would have to do a bit better then that to ruffle her pelt after today.

"Here," Braveheart's voice growled. Surprised, Lightpaw looked up to see him shoving an herb towards her. "This is what is used to treat the disease. Had you looked hard enough, you would have found it near the destroyed rats' nest. It's called anise, and you can find more. Have the sick cats eat it. But," Braveheart added, his tail rising slightly, "for some cats it may be too late for the herb. It must be administrated early."

"Sharpclaw," Lightpaw meowed, feeling her heart sink. He was the oldest sick cat, and had been sick the longest.

"Perhaps," Braveheart evaded. "Whatever you do in these times, Lightpaw, do not forget the prophecy. It will shape your paw steps forever."

"I won't forget," Lightpaw promised. Braveheart nodded and the clearing dissolved. When Lightpaw awoke, dawn was coming, and she knew that it was time to bury her mother. Her paw brushed something soft, and she blinked in surprise. The anise lay at her paws, ready for her use.

Rockfang stood shakily, and Lightpaw went to support her father. He leaned on her heavily. Petalnose stood as well, and the two cats grasped Mintcloud's ruff and bore her away. Darkfur stared after them, her eyes dead. When Brownpaw bounced over to her, Swiftwind sent him away.

Lightpaw watched her mother disappear. She wanted desperately to go and help lay her mother's shell to rest, but she had a much more important duty at the moment. Gathering the anise, she carried it to Echosong.

"Herbs?" Echosong croaked, her eyes widening at the sight of her apprentice. She scrambled out of her nest, brushing her grizzled muzzle against Lightpaw's. "Fresh herbs, too. Where in StarClan's name did you find them?"

Luckily, Braveheart had told Lightpaw where to get them. "The old rats' nest. I – a StarClan warrior guided me there." Lightpaw didn't like to lie to her mentor, but it was only a little white lie, and she didn't want to broadcast to her mentor the fact that StarClan was angry with her.

"Will they help the sick cats?" Echosong breathed, not even paying attention to Lightpaw's almost-blunder. Lightpaw felt a twinge of unease about how easy the lie had been, but she brushed it off.

"Yes, the StarClan warrior said so."

"Oh Lightpaw, this is wonderful! Thank you, and thank StarClan!" Echosong hurried back into the den, and Lightpaw heard her beginning to administer the anise to the sick cats. Lightpaw stalked off, feeling unneeded.

*

Darkfur felt dead; not literally dead, but as though something had died inside of her. Even as she watched Swiftwind teach her apprentice and his own how to catch birds, she couldn't summon any enthusiasm.

It had been a moon since Mintcloud's death, but Darkfur felt that her paws still dragged. If it wasn't for Swiftwind, who had been unswervingly loyal, she wasn't entirely sure if she would ever gotten out of her nest again.

Darkfur glanced up at the sky, where it was turning dark. "We have to go," she said dully. "The Gathering is soon."

It would be the first time in moons since a Gathering had been held in the gorge. Normally, Darkfur would have been excited to go and spend time with Swiftwind, but somehow she just couldn't summon the energy anymore. Of course, Brownpaw and Sunpaw were a distinct contrast to this demeanor. They were all eagerness.

Both scampered over to her now. They had matured slightly in the past moon, losing some of their kit plumpness, replacing it with muscled back legs and sleek pelts. Of course, both were still small, and the harsh leafbare didn't help. No cat had had a decent meal for days.

The apprentices raced on past Swiftwind and Darkfur, who followed more slowly towards the hollow and the Skyrock. Swiftwind shot a glance at Darkfur, slight amusement sparkling in his eyes.

"Does it make us old, when we aren't so excited for a Gathering?"

Darkfur wanted to simply shrug, not really in the mood to talk, but she always made a little effort for Swiftwind, who had stuck by her for so long now.

"I don't think anything exciting will happen tonight. Maybe, if there were other Clans, then a Gathering would hold more interest."

Swiftwind sighed. "Yes but, if you remember, we already have one unwanted Clan, and they're causing enough trouble."

Darkfur exhaled noisily; it was very true. EarthClan had not given up their attempts on SkyClan's territory. If anything, they had become more frequent and erratic. The warriors were exhausted with trying to keep up. Patchfoot had been badly injured; no cat was sure when, or if, he would recover.

"Let's go check Patchfoot, before we go to the Skyrock," Swiftwind suggested, echoing Darkfur's thoughts. She shot him a grateful glance and they bounded across the clearing to the medicine cats' den. Lightpaw was just coming out of it, looking morose.

"Lightpaw?!" Darkfur gasped, worried by her sister's sunken expression.

"I'm fine," she meowed, as though mentally shaking herself. "It's Patchfoot. He's – "

"No!" Darkfur gasped. "He can't be dead!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Lightpaw snapped. Her head hung. "No, but he's asked Leafstar to retire. The elders' den is filling up all of the sudden, when we need our warriors the most."

Darkfur gaped at Lightpaw in disbelief. This was the second cat in the last moon! Clovertail had recently gone to join the elders as well, and now Patchfoot. Darkfur did a mental rundown. Sagefrost was injured, Mintcloud was (and she winced when she thought it) dead, Patchfoot was retired, Clovertail retired, Leafstar and Echosong too old, and Sharpclaw still resting in the medicine cats' den. Their Clan was slowly dwindling.

The only good news was that Blueshadow was now back with her kits and, after brief but nasty bouts, Cherrytail, Bouncefoot, Sparrowpelt, and Leafstar were all back on their paws. But Leafstar had lost a life in the process.

"There's nothing we can do," Swiftwind said finally. "Patchfoot was getting older; it was bound to happen eventually. He should have known better then to take on three cats at once!"

"Yes," Darkfur agreed sadly. "But he was always trying to prove to us 'younger ones' that he was just as good as us."

Lightpaw didn't say anything, so Darkfur nosed her sister, hoping to cheer her up. "Come on, let's go to the Skyrock and wait for Leafstar."

But Lightpaw shook her head. "No, I'm not going tonight. Echosong's too sick to care for Patchfoot herself."

Swiftwind narrowed his eyes shrewdly. "And once she's asleep, you're slipping to the border."

"Yeah, maybe I am!" Lightpaw spat, immediately defensive. "What does it matter to you?"

Swiftwind bristled, but Darkfur spoke up before either could unsheathe their claws. "Oh stop it, both of you. I'm not in the mood. Swiftwind, let's go. See you later, Lightpaw."

Darkfur turned and walked away; she felt Swiftwind follow her. "Sorry," he breathed on her pelt lightly.

Darkfur shook her head. "I don't like it anymore then you do, but I'm not going to criticize her. Not now, when it feels as though everything is coming apart."

"I'm still here," Swiftwind murmured.

Darkfur let her eyes soften for a moment. "Yes. Thanks for that."

"Anytime." They twined tails and hurried up the slop, leaping the gap to the Skyrock quickly. Much to their surprise, most of the Clan had already assembled. Rockfang was there, his dull eyes sparkling slightly in the moonlight, and Petalnose. Badgerclaw was with his apprentice, Dovepaw, and Bouncefoot sat beside them. Towards the head of the rock were Leafstar, her patchy coat and ribs portraying the Clan's weakness. Brownpaw and Sunpaw both sat near Silverpaw, who was preening herself at their attention. Sparrowpelt, Tinyfern, and Clovertail sat near the SkyClan leader, their eyes distressed. It hurt Darkfur, to see her once-strong Clan looking weak and emaciated. She felt a burst of anger when she realized that it was EarthClan's fault.

A small cough made them all focus on Leafstar. Darkfur and Swiftwind took their places beside their apprentices, Darkfur cuffing Brownpaw on his head as she settled down, because he was still staring at Silverpaw.

"We come together before StarClan. Please grant us peace and your favor in these troubled times, Ancestors." Darkfur was shocked at how weak Leafstar's voice was. She hadn't seen her in a quarter moon, because she was always resting inside her den, leaving the patrols to Petalnose and Sparrowpelt. She was on her last life, but even so, when had their leader grown so…disillusioned?

"Has anyone anything to report?" Leafstar asked in that same dead, lifeless voice.

"Silverpaw caught a fish today," Bouncefoot volunteered instantly, twinkling down kindly at his apprentice.

"Impressive!" Petalnose exclaimed.

"Yes, well done. We all know the Clan needs food." Leafstar's voice held all the warmth of a leafbare day.

"Yes. We all do know that SkyClan needs food." The sneering voice made Darkfur spin, her hackles rising. She snarled when she saw the glimmer of pelts racing towards them in the moonlight, leaping past their leader, who sat triumphantly on the other side of the gap.

Darkfur unsheathed her claws. Full moon or no full moon, tonight would be one of bloodshed. These cats had dared to invade on their sacred night, their night of peace in the name of StarClan. She knew SkyClan would bear the brunt of this battle but she didn't really care at that moment. Grief – for her mother, for her Clan, for her leader, for Swiftwind, and for her sister and father – pulsed through her, and she wanted nothing more then to rip…to tear. The knowledge that it was all this Clan's fault, these mangy outsiders, made her grief surge towards anger and beyond.

Swiftwind at her side, she leapt forward to clash with the oncoming intruders.

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to update. I've been very busy, but my school is in the middle of a strike (stupid school) so I got to post this for you guys! I've been working really, really, hard on the next book, but of course it's nowhere near done. I'll get it done eventually! Please **_**READ AND REVIEW!!!**_


	7. Chapter 7

Snarls erupted on the Skyrock. Darkfur tore into her opponent; blood pounded in her ears, and for the first time in her life, she felt a reckless abandon and, more then that, bloodlust. She wanted this cat, whoever it was, to die beneath her paws.

"I'll kill you!" The screech erupted from her jaws, and she knew immediately that it was true. She wanted this cat, and this Clan, who had taken so much from her, to die. She didn't feel like herself; she felt different, invincible. No cat could harm her, ever. The surge of power was astonishing.

She felt the cat convulse beneath her; leaving it for dead, she launched herself back into the battle. Her teeth were suddenly sharper, her eyes suddenly keener, her claws like thistles. Cats crumpled beneath her. Not one claw was laid on her the entire time. She watched Jadetail, Ravencall, and several other cats go harrowing back the way they had come. She wanted to screech after them and demand that they come back and finish their fight. "Who are the cowards now!" she shrieked after them.

There was no answer, so Darkfur moved back into a defensive position. A tom leapt at her, and her eyes were so clouded by bloodlust that she didn't even see who it was. She rolled onto her stomach and kicked out her back legs, sending the slight nuisance over the edge of the precipice. The ear-splitting howl meant nothing to her in her enraged state. She battled on, her ears singing as blood turned her black coat a sickly rust color.

And, when all turned silent and she knew the battle was over, she spun, still expecting more enemies. But only Swiftwind stood at her side, his eyes wide in amazement and…did she detect a hint of fear?

"Darkfur?" It wasn't just speculation – his voice shook as he addressed her. Darkfur shook herself, shocked to find blood everywhere; but not her blood.

She frowned at Swiftwind. "What?"

"W-What happened?" he gasped.

Her lip began to curl at his shaking voice. "I gave some filthy EarthClan cats what was coming to them."

"Yeah but – you pushed him off the cliff."

Darkfur felt her heart freeze. Her blood chilled, and the battle furor died away. Her Clan gaped at her as she shakily stepped forward, towards the sheer drop. All was dark, but she could hear the moans from a dying cat below.

Darkfur let her gaze drift. Her first opponent lay hunkered in the shadows, still. Darkfur made out pale ginger fur; it was Yellowfur, the beautiful deputy. Wolfclaw stood over her, nudging her. Then he backed away, his head swinging wildly.

"This – This can't be happening." His eyes flew, to land on Darkfur. "She was going to have my kits!" he yowled, and leapt at Darkfur. The SkyClan warrior stood, her head hanging. _Kill me!_ she whispered to his oncoming form. _I deserve to die, for what I did tonight._

Just as his claws reached her, Swiftwind was there, knocking him backwards. Wolfclaw stumbled away before scooping up Yellowfur's still form. "You'll see," he muttered around her scruff, breathing heavily. "You haven't heard the last of this, you mangy idiots." Then he disappeared, the rest of the Clan following him.

"Sandstar is dead!" Whispers broke out behind Darkfur, but she was focused on Swiftwind, who no longer looked wary, but who had a tender look about him.

"What have I done?" she mouthed. His eyes widened. Sheltering her from the curious stares of their Clanmates, they left the gorge completely, forsaking the warrior's den, which would soon be filled with inquiring faces.

Swiftwind led her over the hills and deep into the forest. Unable to think, unable to feel, Darkfur collapsed on the grass. A rushing wind filled her ears, and she blacked out.

She stood in a copse of trees, not unlike the ones near the rats' nest. Hutch and Rainfur stood with her. Their eyes were troubled. "The power is consuming you, Darkfur. You must fight it. You're better then that."

Darkfur felt her heart plummet. "Then this…rage that I feel is Darkheart's?"

"Yes," Rainfur meowed gravely. "She is channeling herself through you. She is not permitted to be reincarnated, as some cats may, if StarClan wills it. But somehow she has found a way to escape the confines of the dark forest with her mind."

Darkfur shook; she could feel herself trembling. "Can't you stop her?"

"If we knew how she was doing it," Rainfur meowed, looking frustrated. "But we don't. It looks as though you must fight this battle on your own, my dear."

"Then…maybe I shouldn't fight – ever again." Her heart felt as though it would be torn out at the thought, but it was for the safety of everyone in the gorge.

But Rainfur was shaking his head. "You need to fight. There is an answer to all your troubles – the earth shakers, EarthClan, your sister's involvement with Stripedpaw even – but only if you can fight fang and claw for what you believe is right."

"But I don't know what's right!" Darkfur cried. "I'm barely more then a kit! Can't you get someone else?"

Hutch shook his head; the two StarClan warriors began to dissolve into star dust, and their voices became an echo that resounded in Darkfur's brain. _Follow your heart, Darkfur. _

Another image appeared to Darkfur in the blackness, just before she lost sight of Hutch and Rainfur. This cat was fine-boned, with gray fur that had stars sparkling in it. The image hovered above her, achingly, wonderfully familiar.

"Mintcloud?" Darkfur breathed, taking a step forward. Her mother's voice did not speak aloud; instead, Darkfur heard the great rolling sound all around her, and warm waves of relief, like those she had known in kithood, swayed around her. Newleaf scents clouded her nose.

_Trust in yourself, my love. You have always known what's right. It was your courage and loyalty that allowed Lightpaw to follow her destiny. It was with bravery that you weathered the earth shakers with your Clan. It is with a mother's love that you watch them and fight for them. And it is a mother's love that I leave you now. I'm so proud of you, my kit._

With a sigh, Mintcloud's insubstantial figure was blown away. Darkfur snuggled deeper into the grass, her body relaxing for the first time in a long time. She awoke with Swiftwind beside her. Darkfur fell back to sleep, feeling like a sheltered young kit for the first time in moons. Swiftwind gently washed her fur of all blood as she slept a dreamless sleep.

Lightpaw knew something was wrong. Something _had to be wrong._ Not only had Stripedpaw failed to meet her at the border that night, despite his promise, but the entire Clan was back from the Gathering, and Darkfur and Swiftwind were not with them.

"Where's my sister?" Lightpaw demanded from Badgerclaw as soon as she spotted him. He looked away and muttered an excuse about going to see Dovepaw before shooting off.

Leafstar stalked into the clearing, her former frailties gone. She walked like a hunting lion, power in her shoulders and hind legs, her eyes blazing with emotion. "Come here!" she yowled, sending her call across the clearing as she leapt onto the Rockpile. The Clan clustered below, Lightpaw following anxiously.

"Tonight, at the Gathering, EarthClan attacked. Darkfur fought every one of them with a bloodlust that scared all of us. She was ferocious and unstoppable, and showed no mercy. She killed Sandstar; more importantly, she killed a pregnant queen."

Lightpaw gasped; she couldn't believe this! Her courageous, sometimes temperamental, loving, devoted sister had done such a thing?

"No!" Rockfang cried, standing to face Leafstar. "My daughter wouldn't do that! She got carried away, is all. She suffered great personal loses from those cats!"

"So have we all!" snapped Blueshadow. Her two remaining kits clustered at her belly, snuggling close to her warm fur. Olivekit was nowhere to be seen. Lightpaw knew why she felt so strongly; she believed that her daughter had been massacred by EarthClan.

"Yes, that's true," Sparrowpelt replied. "Darkfur should learn to control herself."

"How was she to know the queen was pregnant?" Sagefrost snarled with a rage that surprised them all.

"She disemboweled her!" Badgerclaw howled.

"That queen never should have been at the battle!" Rockfang growled.

"Yes! Are you fighting _for_ EarthClan now, Badgerclaw?" Sagefrost asked, his eyes glinting dangerously as his claws slid out.

"Don't call me a traitor, you crippled, worthless excuse for a cat!" Badgerclaw spat. The toms were in inches of launching themselves at each other.

"Enough!" Clovertail and Petalnose padded forward to join them. Every cat respectfully made way for them so they could approach the Rockpile.

"Leafstar, why do Darkfur's actions matter so much? Surely the fact that EarthClan attacked us on our own territory is a much more pressing problem?" Petalnose pointed out logically.

"It is not the only pressing problem!" Leafstar spat back. Until now, she had remained quiet throughout her warriors' arguments. Now she glared venom at Petalnose.

Lightpaw shrank back. She didn't recognize this Leafstar; this angry she-cat was not the same leader who had led them with unwavering judgment and courage throughout the seasons. This was a half-depraved, starving, and old she-cat, a shell of her former grandeur.

"It matters," Leafstar continued with quiet malice, "because last night, Cloudstar came to me in a dream. He warned me of a dangerous, possibly corruptible power in our midst."

Mutters broke out. Rockfang shrank back, and Sagefrost turned his head away while Badgerclaw stared around gloatingly. Lightpaw gaped. How – _why_ – had StarClan not shown her this? Was it even possible that her sister was evil? Then, with a sinking feeling, Lightpaw realized that maybe StarClan _had_ tried to warn her, but she had been too wrapped up in Stripedpaw to notice.

"I have chosen this terrible power to mean Darkfur, and her actions tonight solidify my option! She is a danger to us all, and I forbid her to come back to this Clan!"

Howls and screeches echoed this final statement, but Tinyfern, Rockfang, Sagefrost, and Lightpaw were not among them.

"I know my former apprentice," Tinyfern meowed, looking steadily at Leafstar. "She would have died rather then hurt this Clan. She is on the side of good."

"Then you may join her in exile!" Leafstar yowled. "Any cat who wishes to go with Tinyfern may, but I will count you my enemies, trying to construct a greater Clan then mine! And until you return to your senses, I shall tell the patrols to treat you as an enemy!"

"Very well," Tinyfern meowed. Without looking back at her brothers, she padded out of camp, flicking her tail.

"Rockfang? Sagefrost? _Lightpaw?_" Leafstar snarled, swinging her gaze from one to the next. Lightpaw jumped when she fixed her gaze on her.

For a moment, Lightpaw was going to leave; she even stood up. She would relish the freedom of being with her sister, without any duties or responsibilities. She could see Stripedpaw all she wanted to, and she could help her sister stay healthy.

But then common sense came back in the form of Echosong's rasping cough. The wise medicine cat was dying and the Clan needed someone to look after them. "I'll stay," Lightpaw meowed, defeat in her voice as she sat back down.

Sagefrost looked as though he wanted to go; he was halfway to his paws when his back legs gave out. "I stay," he gasped, his eyes glazing over in pain. Blueshadow glanced at her mate coldly, obviously displeased that he would have abandoned his mate and kits to go with his sister's daughter.

Rockfang looked torn, but he meowed, "I will stay, Leafstar. But I contest your decision with every pore of my body." Leafstar nodded callously as Rockfang stood and went to the warriors' den.

Lightpaw padded back to her den and fell into a deep sleep. However, just when she needed her rest most, yowls erupted in the clearing.

Scrambling to her paws, Lightpaw bounded down to the Rockpile, where Leafstar stood, her pelt bristling. A good majority of SkyClan stood like their leader, hissing and snarling. Lightpaw pushed her way through to see her sister and Swiftwind, both of them looking like cornered rabbits.

"Lightpaw!" Darkfur cried when she saw her sister. "What's happening?" Lightpaw stared at her sister, then felt Leafstar staring at her. If she tried to comfort her sister in anyway, Leafstar would chase her out of the Clan. While she almost relished the thought, Echosong needed her more then her sister did right now.

So, offering a prayer to StarClan for forgiveness, Lightpaw turned to her sister with what she hoped were cold eyes and meowed, "Nothing you don't deserve."

Darkfur looked as though someone had clubbed her. Swiftwind stepped forward and snarled at Badgerclaw, who had been edging his way closer.

"Come back to the Clan," Badgerclaw begged his brother. "I don't want to be separated from you."

Swiftwind gazed over his brother, his eyes hard. "You still don't understand what a Clan is, after all this time, brother. I wouldn't leave Darkfur, even in death."

Badgerclaw opened his mouth to plead again, but Leafstar stepped down from the Rockpile. "Leave him, Badgerclaw. He's a traitor, and so has chosen his fate."

She turned to face the two young warriors. "StarClan sent me a dream that a black cat would bring ruin to this Clan. It completely negates everything I have ever believed! Darkfur is not allowed back to this gorge. She is exiled, and Tinyfern and Swiftwind are banished with her!"

Darkfur seemed to snap out of her reverie. "Tinyfern?" she asked, and Lightpaw hated how her voice sounded; like a tiny kit who had been severely scolded.

"She left this Clan to join you," Bouncefoot meowed. His voice was worried. "Are you telling me you haven't seen her?"

Leafstar turned on him with a snarl. "Are you concerned about the safety of a traitor?"

"If Tinyfern were a traitor, I would still love her for the rest of time. She is my sister, and that can't be forgotten."

"Would you desert your Clan?" Leafstar hissed.

Bouncefoot gazed back at her. "No, as it seems as though it needs protection from more then external forces at the moment. Come, Silverpaw," he commanded, and led his apprentice out of camp for night hunting.

Leafstar flicked her paws uneasily. Her Clan was disintegrating around her, and she knew it. Unfortunately, she didn't know the right cat to take it out on.

"Leave," Leafstar growled, returning her attention to Darkfur and her mate. "If I ever see your pelts in this territory again, I'll kill you myself."

With that, Leafstar slumped to one side and collapsed.

"Leafstar!" Darkfur gasped, starting towards her leader. Lightpaw dashed forward to intercept her sister. She knew Leafstar was still partly conscious by her pricked ears, and if Darkfur got in range, the confused leader may strike. More importantly, Lightpaw couldn't tell her sister that she was still on her side, because Leafstar was listening. Once more, she would have to be cruel to her sister.

"Leave," Lightpaw hissed, echoing Leafstar's words. "See what you've done to her? She isn't strong enough for this. Take your mate and go away."

"Lightpaw – " Darkfur began, her voice anguished. Lightpaw looked away from her sister's pleading eyes. If she gazed into the tortured blue frames, everything would be for nothing.

Swiftwind glanced at Lightpaw before nudging Darkfur away. "We're not wanted," he meowed, loud enough for the rest of the Clan, still listening, to easily hear. "We'll go find Tinyfern. But Leafstar," Swiftwind continued, talking to his downed leader, "you are wrong. Darkfur is not the cat you are looking for. You should look closer for _that_ traitor."

Darkfur followed meekly behind her mate as he stalked out of camp. Her gaze flew through the clearing, to land on Rockfang.

"Father," she whimpered. He looked away, amber eyes burning with pain. Head down, completely defeated, Darkfur seemed to know she had lost. She went after Swiftwind, her paws dragging. If it were possible for cats to cry, Lightpaw would have sworn she saw a tear on her sister's cheek.

Darkfur blundered through the gorge, her pelt dragging on nettles and thorns. Swiftwind forged ahead of her, his broad shoulders sweeping back such annoyances and leaving safe places of passage for her where he could.

Darkfur's head spun. She didn't want to go any further. The place she had known since kithood, where her mother's bones and her grandfather's bones lay, where her sister and father still lived, had been torn away from her in one flash and command of amber eyes.

She just wanted to lie down and forget. If forgetting meant dying, then so be it. She had no will for survival anymore. Her sister and father, the two cats she believed she could always depend on, had turned their backs on her. What great destiny had StarClan had for her? It all seemed so totally worthless now.

Unfortunately, Swiftwind _did_ have a will for survival. He knew their survival depended on each other; he could not live without her, nor she him. So he doubled back and helped her, encouraged her, forced her to place one paw in front of the other in a tortured march to nowhere.

Three times she cried out and begged him to stop, to let her lie down and rest. He refused vehemently, and nudged her to her paws every time she tried to lie down.

"If you lay down, we both know you won't get up," he growled as he shoved her to her paws once more.

"What's the point?" Darkfur moaned. She was panting with exertion; she had never felt so mentally weary in her life, not even when her mother died. _I don't deal with grief well,_ she finally concluded.

"Come on," Swiftwind encouraged again as the sun began to rise. "Just a few more heartbeats, and we'll be able to rest. I'll even hunt for you."

Darkfur managed to make it to the place he thought suitable for rest. Swiftwind even arranged a nest for her, which she immediately curled down into. Then Swiftwind stood by her, anxiously shifting from paw to paw.

"What?" she murmured, wanting to sleep.

"I can't leave you alone," he muttered, almost to himself. "If I do that, some predator may come…or even worse, one of our Clanmates. We're technically still in the territory. If they're following Leafstar's hare-brained orders, they'll try to kill you."

"Good," Darkfur meowed, her head suddenly shooting up. Her blue eyes blazed before dimming again. "I don't want to live like this, Swiftwind. StarClan has promised me some great destiny, but it's come to nothing. I have this…bloodlust that I can't control when I fight. My mother is dead and my – my sister has turned on me. I have nothing else."

"You have me!" Swiftwind's words cut her like a claw.

"Yes," Darkfur agreed after a long moment. "But can you see, after everything that's happened, why I feel empty?"

Swiftwind was shaking his head when they heard rustling in the bushes. Both cats froze. Swiftwind hissed and took a fighting stance beside Darkfur. She struggled to get up, but then collapsed. She didn't even have the strength to tell her body what to do.

There was another rustle, and then a twig snapped. Swiftwind had just unsheathed his claws when a white shape emerged from the trees.

"Tinyfern!" Swiftwind's amazed exclamation almost excited Darkfur, but not quite. After turning to gaze at her old mentor for a moment, she settled back down with a sigh.

Prey thumped to the ground as Tinyfern approached. "What's happened?" she asked, appalled. Swiftwind explained in a voice too low for Darkfur's ears. Her attention was slipping, and she could almost feel the wonderful blackness – no, blankness – that surrounded her. She wanted to dive into it and give her wearied body a rest.

She felt Swiftwind shake her. Annoyed, she tried to go faster towards the blank blackness that pressed against her. "Darkfur!" Swiftwind's shrill, scared voice made her start a little, and she tried to purr to him soothingly. _I just want to sleep,_ she wanted to tell him. _Let me sleep…let me forget…_

Then a sharper voice, one she had learned to spring to attention for, roused her completely. "Darkfur, get up this instant and eat this rabbit!"

Disgusted, with herself or Tinyfern she didn't know, Darkfur's head snapped up. Tinyfern nudged the rabbit closer, and Darkfur bit into it, feeling vitality return with every warm mouthful. Finally, she managed to push herself into a sitting position.

"What do we do now?" Tinyfern asked. Under her gaze, Darkfur felt like an apprentice again. But she knew the answer; it had come to her in a flash of insight. Maybe StarClan _was_ guiding her pawsteps.

"What _should_ we do, is a better question," Swiftwind interrupted. "We've got Twolegplace, the gorge, and EarthClan on all sides. We're trapped; we'll have no territory of our own."

"Good," Darkfur meowed, sitting up even straighter. The rising sun bathed her fur a golden-black. She looked like one of the great tigers from ancient times. Her friends looked at her, hope and confusion sparking in their eyes.

"Good?" Swiftwind repeated.

"Good," Darkfur said as finality. "We must find EarthClan. We must stop the fight that has raged for too long. I have my own prejudices against them – they killed my mother – but I will not let SkyClan be destroyed by them."

"You're leading us into battle!" Swiftwind gasped.

"You're leading us into exile," Tinyfern pointed out.

"Wherever I'm leading you, I hope I'm doing it well."

The sun caught not only the cats' fur, but the cats' hearts, turning them to flame. As the sun bathed the gorge in fire, the three warriors, the dark she-cat with an even darker identity at their head, forged into exile.

**This is the end of **_**Warriors: Darkness – Battlefront**_**. Look out for **_**Warriors: Darkness – Exile**_**, the final book of the **_**Darkness**_** saga. **

**A/N – OH YEAH, AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!**


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